Congress seeks $11.1 billion for U.S. farmers in Iran war funding bill

Congress included more than $11.1 billion for the Agriculture Department in a supplemental funding request connected to the Iran conflict. The request allocates $10 billion for temporary economic assistance to row and specialty crops planted in 2026 and just over $1 billion for producers affected by winter storms in late 2025 and early 2026.

The same bill seeks more than $67.1 billion for the Defense Department as the U.S. and Iran continue exchanging strikes after abandoning a memorandum of understanding reached last month.

fuel costs Fertilizer prices have risen during the conflict.

The price of nitrogenous fertilizer increased 23.5 percent from February to June, and June prices were higher than in all but 10 months over the past 50 years. Diesel fuel costs reached about $5.14 per gallon as of Tuesday, roughly $1.40 higher than a year earlier.

testimony Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins told the Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday that the department aims to reduce farmers' reliance on government support. "It provides a bridge and extends a hand to Americans who need it," Rollins said.

The price increases stem from Iranian military restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a route that normally carries one-third of global fertilizer trade. A lawmaker representing a farming district said the assistance was needed because of higher costs for fertilizer, fuel, and imported equipment linked to the conflict and tariffs.