# Oats can improve soil and water quality. All that’s missing is a market for them. - FoodPrint

> Millions of gallons of Middle East nitrogen and other fertilizer exports were reported stranded at the top of the Strait of Hormuz in early March 2026 as the US and Israel bombed Iran. Midwest farmers face high fertilizer costs and are looking at reducing nitrogen use, including by adding oats to rotations, though oat demand remains limited.

- Date: 2026-03-12 · published 2026-03-12T12:00:00.000Z
- Category: geopolitics · region US · magnitude low
- Page: https://feedsoft.ai/events/20236-oats-can-improve-soil-and-water-quality-all-that-s-missing-is-a-market-for-them
- Commodities: [Urea](https://feedsoft.ai/c/UREA.md), [Oats](https://feedsoft.ai/c/OATS.md)

## Why it matters

Stranded fertilizer supply and higher nitrogen costs tighten the input market and support urea prices. Growers may shift acres toward crops that need less nitrogen, which would change corn and soy demand over time.

## Read by commodity

- OATS: neutral
- UREA: bullish ▲

## Similar past events

| Commodity | Date | Event | 5-day % | 20-day % |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| UREA | 2026-04-01 | [The Iran war’s impacts on global fertilizer markets and food production](https://feedsoft.ai/events/19643-the-iran-war-s-impacts-on-global-fertilizer-markets-and-food-production.md) | +10.6% | +7.6% |
| UREA | 2026-02-28 | [What the Iran attack means for oil, fertilizer and ag commodities - Pro Farmer](https://feedsoft.ai/events/20635-what-the-iran-attack-means-for-oil-fertilizer-and-ag-commodities-pro-farmer.md) | +25.5% | +36.4% |
| UREA | 2026-07-30 | [Iran War Is Driving a Wave of Demand for CME Fertilizer Futures](https://feedsoft.ai/events/18669-iran-war-is-driving-a-wave-of-demand-for-cme-fertilizer-futures.md) | -4.0% | -1.5% |
| UREA | 2023-01-10 | [A transformed fertilizer market is needed in response to the food crisis in Africa \| Netherlands for the World Bank](https://feedsoft.ai/events/37718-a-transformed-fertilizer-market-is-needed-in-response-to-the-food-crisis-in.md) | -2.9% | -23.4% |
| UREA | 2026-05-01 | [It's not just oil: Why Iran war also threatens Asia's food security](https://feedsoft.ai/events/10732-it-s-not-just-oil-why-iran-war-also-threatens-asia-s-food-security.md) | -11.0% | -18.0% |
| OATS | 2026-06-15 | [Focus: Russian attacks could cut Ukraine grain exports by a third \| Reuters](https://feedsoft.ai/events/14105-focus-russian-attacks-could-cut-ukraine-grain-exports-by-a-third-reuters.md) | +2.3% | +1.4% |

## Sources

- foodprint.org: https://foodprint.org/blog/oats-can-improve-soil-and-water-quality/

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Data from Feedsoft AI (https://feedsoft.ai/). For information only; not investment advice.