Iran conflict hits home as high fuel, fertilizer costs squeeze eastern Idaho

Published at 3:11 pm, June 30, 2026 | Updated at 4:18 pm, June 30, 2026

Rett Nelson, EastIdahoNews.com

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Farm field photo provided by Hannah Allen at Bingham Ag Services. AAA Public Affairs director Matthew Conde provided an in-depth look at the Iran conflict and its impact on gas prices in a recent episode of It’s Worth Mentioning. Watch the April interview in the video above.

EDITOR’S NOTE: “From the Field” is a weekly newsletter bringing you the latest agriculture news in eastern Idaho.

IDAHO FALLS – The situation in Iran remains a bit uncertain after the United States struck Iran on Friday in response to a drone attack a day earlier on a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz.

The strike comes at a fragile time when both countries had reached a tentative agreement to open the waterway through which 20% of the world’s oil passes during peacetime, and were working to negotiate a permanent end to the war.

Since the conflict began at the end of February, Americans have dealt with rising gas prices. In eastern Idaho, fuel prices have approached $5 a gallon.

Since June 1, the American Automobile Association (AAA) has reported a steady decline in gas prices. As of Monday, the average price for a gallon of regular gasoline in the Gem State is $4.11, which is 13 cents less than a week ago and 54 cents less than a month ago. Even with the downward trend in prices, fuel costs are still 69 cents higher than they were at this time last year. Despite this, AAA reports a record 72.2 million Americans are planning to travel 50 miles or more for Independence Day.

EastIdahoNews.com spoke with AAA public affairs director Matthew Conde in April about gas prices for “It’s Worth Mentioning.” Watch it in the video above.

Aaron Simpson, president of Good 2 Go — which operates 14 locations in eastern Idaho — tells EastIdahoNews.com he’s seen a decline in the number of gallons people are buying at the pump.

“People are sensitive to how much they’re driving and (are putting more thought into planning) those trips,” Simpson says. “In-store purchases tend to follow that trend.”

Good 2 Go creative director Tanner Murri notes that fuel transactions are up because many customers aren’t paying for a full tank of gas.

‘The worst year we’ve had’

Diesel prices have been more dramatically impacted during this ordeal. Burke Higley, president of Bingham Ag Services — a farm and ranch supply store offering seed, chemical, fertilizer and more — says that at the height of Middle East tensions, diesel prices nearly doubled.

Farmers are also dealing with high input costs, which are driving up the prices of seeds, fertilizer and other commodities. Higley says the price of fertilizer, in particular, has fluctuated more in 2026 than at any time.

Certain elements in fertilizer, like nitrogen and sulfur, are derived from oil. The U.S. sources a lot of its sulfur from the Middle East, which has led to the price increase.

“Sulfur is probably the element that has had the most significant price increase. Raw sulfur has tripled in price through this debacle,” Higley says.

Overall, the price of fertilizer increased to about $400 a ton, which Higley says is a 100% increase in just a few months.

High input costs, combined with the water shortage and emergency drought declaration statewide, makes 2026 a particularly difficult year for Idaho growers. By the end of the year, Higley says sales in the farm commodity market will likely be down 30% compared to last year.

“Growers are going to run out of operating money as we get out of the season. We’re starting to see a little bit of that now,” he says. “I’ve been in (this industry) for 20 years. This is by far the worst year we’ve had.”

Higley points out that there was a negative outlook on the year even before the conflict in the Middle East started. Crop prices were so low last fall that growers experienced dismal revenue.

Farm field taken from Bingham Ag Services Facebook page — Farm field photo taken from Bingham Ag Services Facebook page

Will prices bounce back?

Simpson says he’s encouraged by the gradual drop in oil prices and hopes it will continue. Barring any further escalation of the conflict, Simpson says gas prices will likely take some time to stabilize.

“Everything I hear in the industry says it’s going to take a little longer (for prices to drop significantly) because we’ve also (tapped in to) our oil reserves in the U.S., which has diminished our supply,” Simpson says. “It’s going to take a while to build those reserves back up.”

Assuming the war ends soon and the Strait of Hormuz reopens, Simpson anticipates it will take about 6 to 12 months for prices to return to pre-conflict levels.

Going forward, Higley says eliminating tariffs on imports would remove some of the pressure on input prices, incentivize local producers to be more price competitive and make the U.S. more attractive to foreign markets.

Higley says that market challenges will ultimately lead to improvements and that 2026 will be a better year than most people anticipated.

“Because of the water situation and the frost we’ve had lately, I think … we’ll see a reduction in yield and acreage enough that we could see some better pricing as we go into the fall,” says Higley. “I’m optimistic that we’ll see prices bounce back from what they have been. I don’t think it will be a blockbuster year, but I think it will be a little better than what we anticipated.”

Restock the fuel tanks at Good 2 Go during a recent fuel shipment. | Courtesy Tanner Murri — Restocking the fuel tanks at Good 2 Go during a recent fuel shipment. | Courtesy Tanner Murri

AG AT-A-GLANCE

Senate Ag Committee release draft farm bill text

The following is a news release from the National Association of Wheat Growers.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry released draft text for Farm Bill 2.0. The National Association of Wheat Growers CEO Sam Kieffer provided the following statement.

“We are encouraged to see Chairman Boozman continue moving the farm bill process forward with the release of draft legislative text. Wheat farmers need certainty as they contend with stubbornly high input costs, commodity prices that barely break even, and ongoing volatility in global markets. NAWG is reviewing the proposal to assess how it addresses wheat growers’ needs, including crop insurance, the farm safety net, trade, research, conservation, and humanitarian programs that move U.S. grain. We look forward to working with Congress and the White House to get this legislation across the finish line this year.”

Chobani celebrating America’s 250th anniversary by giving back

The following is taken from a news release from Chobani.

TWIN FALLS – As the country gears up for America’s 250th birthday, Chobani is bringing the celebration to its backyard in Twin Falls.

During the summer, thousands of kids across southern Idaho are at risk of losing access to meals they rely on during the school year. To help bridge that gap, Chobani has partnered with local organizations, including Everybody House, Jerome School District, True Leap Technologies, North Canyon Medical Center, Idaho Food Bank, Hunger Free America, ICCU, and the Boys & Girls Club of the Magic Valley, to deliver over 96,000 meals totaling over 200,000 pounds of nutritious food.

The public is invited to a patriotic, family-friendly celebration on July 3 at 400 Shoshone Street East. From noon to 2 p.m., there will be themed games and activities, a festive atmosphere, and fresh, healthy food to kick off the holiday weekend.

Chobani also invites the community to its 2nd Saturdays in the Park summer program. Through this series, Chobani is helping families build practical food skills while connecting them to nutrition education, community resources and Idaho’s agricultural roots.

The next event is happening from noon to 2 p.m. at 820 Main Street in Gooding on July 11. It will be held at the same time and location on August 8.

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