Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/70-of-us-farms-cant-afford-fertilizer-as-more-energy-facilities-hit-by-fires/
Economy
An American Farm Bureau Federation survey from April 3-11 found that 70% of over 5,700 U.S. farmers across all states and Puerto Rico said they cannot afford all the needed fertilizer for 2026 due to high prices. Nearly 80% in the South, 69% in the Northeast, 66% in the West, and 48% in the Midwest reported issues. Nitrogen fertilizer prices rose over 30% since the February 28 Hormuz conflict began, urea by 47%, and combined fuel-fertilizer costs by 20-40%.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a new portal to refund up to $175 billion in tariffs ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court on February 20 in Learning Resources v. Trump. The 6-3 decision, written by Chief Justice Roberts and joined by Justices Sotomayor, Kagan, Gorsuch, Barrett, and Jackson, held that the International Emergency Economic Powers Act does not authorize presidential tariffs, as Article I, Section 8 vests taxing power in Congress. It invalidated April 2025 “reciprocal” Liberation Day tariffs and fentanyl tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, which collected $166-179 billion across 330,000 importers and 53 million entries, per Penn-Wharton. Some critics contended that the refunds mainly aid large importers over U.S. consumers. Phase 1 covers $127 billion in unliquidated or recent entries.
In crypto news, MicroStrategy bought 34,164 Bitcoin for $2.54 billion at an average of $74,395 per coin from April 13-19. This was its third-largest purchase by coin count, after 55,500 and 51,780 BTC in November 2024. Holdings reached 815,061 BTC, bought for $61.56 billion at an average of $75,527. Over 85% was funded by Stretch perpetual preferred security, generating $2.18 billion, plus $366 million from Class A stock sales. Recent Stretch purchases included 7,741 BTC on April 13 and 9,364 on April 14 via at-the-market programs. Critics warned of potential instability from the debt-financed accumulation strategy. The firm plans semi-monthly Stretch dividends and saw its market cap exceed $54 billion, nearing net asset value.
Energy
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation declared force majeure on crude oil and refined product shipments.
Meanwhile, President Trump invoked the Defense Production Act to sign energy-related memorandums. Collectively, these memorandums are aimed at expanding U.S. domestic energy production, refining, infrastructure, and supply chains by declaring them essential to national defense and directing the use of Defense Production Act authorities to accelerate their development and address the national energy emergency. Specifically, they cover:
- Domestic Petroleum Production, Refining, and Logistics Capacity
- Coal Supply Chains and Baseload Power Generation Capacity
- Natural Gas Transmission, Processing, Storage, and Liquefied Natural Gas Capacity
- Grid Infrastructure, Equipment, and Supply Chain Capacity
Critics argued the measures favor fossil fuels over renewable energy development.
In other news, three more incidents involving various energy facilities have occurred within the past 24 hours, adding to the string of seemingly coincidental incidents affecting worldwide energy infrastructure. The latest are in Russia, Bucharest, and Texas. Since April 15, disruptions have occurred in Australia, Pakistan, Russia, and India.
In Russia, Ukraine reportedly conducted a second drone attack on the Tuapse Refinery in Krasnodar Krai, days after an initial strike that caused a fire and an oil spill covering 10,000 square meters in the Black Sea and into the Tuapse River, where 750 meters of containment booms and five oil recovery devices were deployed. OSINT sources reported thick smoke plumes extending over 270 km from the fires. Ukraine also claimed strikes on two oil depots in nearby Crimea.
In Bucharest, an explosion at the CET Vest thermal power plant has damaged three electrical transformers and caused a fire involving 30 tons of oil. ELCEN, the plant operator, attributed the incident to an electrical defect. Firefighters used water and foam to extinguish flames and partially control the blaze, leaving five pieces of equipment to monitor and cool the area by morning.
In Texas, an oil well blowout in rural Nacogdoches County caused an explosion before midnight on Monday. Authorities issued evacuations along County Road 561 and shelter-in-place orders for nearby roads. Workers evacuated with no injuries reported. Agencies, including the Texas Division of Emergency Management, responded and monitored air quality, reporting no immediate danger. A Houston company worked to suppress the fire. Authorities briefly closed FM 226 and noted potential disruptions to Woden ISD bus routes.
Geopolitics
Under Secretary of War for Policy Elbridge Colby told the Ukraine Defense Contact Group that European nations should accelerate a transition to “NATO 3.0,” with primary responsibility for conventional defense of the continent, rebuilding munitions stocks, removing protectionist barriers, and developing a defense industrial base. Colby reportedly stressed that deeds matter more than aspirations for credible deterrence, including arming Ukraine via the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List program. He described securing the Strait of Hormuz as critical for U.S.-NATO relations. Some observers described the demands as hypocritical amid U.S. requests for European aid in Middle East conflicts. Colby warned that failure to act could lead the U.S. to reprioritize away from Europe or adopt a pay-to-play model, excluding non-contributors from decisions and Article 5 support.
The U.S. suspended dollar shipments to Iraq’s Central Bank and security coordination until an acceptable government forms, according to reports. Resumption is conditioned on disclosing the perpetrators of the U.S. embassy bombing. Iraq’s oil revenues flow to a Federal Reserve account under a 2003 Coalition Provisional Authority order. The Treasury approves monthly transfers, flown in as cash for salaries, food, and medicine. Such transfers have been delayed previously over issues including Iran sanctions. The Coordination Framework Shia bloc, with 185 of 329 parliamentary seats, must nominate a prime minister by April 26 after initially selecting Nouri al-Maliki, who is opposed by Washington, along with incumbent Mohammed Shia al-Sudani. The Central Bank of Iraq rejected reports of the suspension.
Artificial Intelligence
The National Security Agency is using Anthropic’s Mythos Preview, its most powerful model, restricted to about 40 organizations, reportedly due to offensive cyber capabilities. It is used primarily for scanning security vulnerabilities. This follows the Department of War’s February designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk over its refusal to remove ethical guardrails for military use, which prompted a lawsuit. The designation applies to the Department of War, barring contractors from Claude models, including Mythos, in offensive or surveillance contexts. The White House directed federal agencies to use Mythos. Treasury and Federal Reserve warned banks of AI attack risks after red-teaming. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei met White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Friday to discuss government deployment and security. The UK’s AI Security Institute also has access.
Health
FDA vaccine chief Dr. Vinay Prasad issued a memo attributing at least 10 child deaths to COVID shots, which he called a profound revelation and an underestimate with implications for vaccine policy. Skeptics maintained that post-vaccination death reports align with background rates without proven causality. This follows a September analysis of 25 pediatric deaths post-vaccination, prepared for CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices but not presented. An internal meeting reportedly saw FDA scientist Dr. Tracy Beth Høeg face pushback from regulators on her evidence of fatalities after vaccination, as reported by STAT on November 13, 2025.
Sources
Russia’s Tuapse Refinery Hit by Second Ukrainian Drone Attack Amid Black Sea Oil Spill Crisis
Russia’s Tuapse Refinery Attacked 2nd Time In Days, While Battling Oil Spill Into Black Sea
US Final Warning: Accelerate NATO 3.0 or Face Trump’s Punishments
This might be the US’ final warning before it takes drastic action to punish those who continue to reject Trump’s demands.
US Halts Dollar Flows to Iraq Until ‘Acceptable’ Government Forms
Washington cuts flow of US dollars to Iraqi central bank until ‘acceptable’ government formed
Kuwait Invokes Force Majeure on Oil as US Seizure Reignites Hormuz Crisis
Kuwait has declared force majeure on shipments of crude oil and refined products after disruptions at the Strait of Hormuz prevented some vessels from entering the Persian Gulf.
70% of U.S. Farmers Can’t Afford Enough Fertilizer for 2026 Amid Hormuz Crisis
70 percent of U.S. farmers say that they will not be able to purchase all of the fertilizer that they need in 2026
From Supply Chain Risk to NSA Staple: Anthropic’s Mythos
From “Supply-Chain Risk” to Strategic Asset
Strategy Tops 800,000 BTC After Third-Largest Purchase in History
Saylor’s Strategy Holdings Top 800,000 Bitcoin After 3rd Biggest Purchase In History
FDA Vaccine Chief Attributes 10 Child Deaths to Covid Shots
U.S. regulators have formally attributed at least 10 of these children’s deaths to Covid vaccination.
Evacuations Underway After Nacogdoches County Oil Well Explosion
Evacuations underway after Nacogdoches Co. oil well explosion
Explosion Damages Three Transformers at Bucharest Power Plant, Sparking Massive Fire
Explosion hits thermal power plant in Romania: three transformers damaged, massive fire breaks out
Trump Cites Defense Production Act to Sign Energy Memorandums
Trump cites defense production act to sign energy-related memorandums
$175B Tariff Refunds Portal Opens After Supreme Court Ruling
U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened the CAPE portal to begin refunding up to 175 billion dollars in tariffs the Supreme Court ruled unlawful on February 20.
In addition to sources submitted by community members, the following were also used in the creation of this report: OSINTdefender, KyleJGlen, Oilprice.com, Huzaifa Shafqat, Global Markets Investor, HotNews.ro, Libertatea, Reuters, Radio Free NAFO Jack’s House, @BMedicky, @saylor, @PeterSchiff, Vince Sheetz, Brownstone Institute, and @VickiCoyle10019.
