AgCast is back — with new vigor but the same goal: bringing farmers and agricultural leaders together for conversations about the ideas, businesses, and decisions shaping the future of agriculture. In the first episode of the new season of AgCast, Chad Fiechter and Todd Kuethe sit down with Hunter Swisher, CEO and founder of Phospholutions, to explore one of the most important — and least understood — challenges facing modern agriculture: phosphate fertilizer. Phosphorus is essential for crop production, but it’s also a finite resource controlled by a handful of countries around the world. As fertilizer prices remain a major concern for farmers, this conversation breaks down what’s happening behind the scenes — from phosphate mining and global shipping routes to fertilizer production, supply chain disruptions, and what it could mean for farmers heading into future growing seasons. Hunter explains how Phospholutions is working to improve phosphate fertilizer efficiency, why traditional MAP and DAP fertilizers lose much of their value after application, and how new technology could help farmers produce more with fewer inputs. Chad and Todd also discuss: • Why fertilizer supply chains are more complicated than most farmers realize • How global events can impact input availability and prices on the farm • Why fertilizer innovation has been slower than other areas of agriculture • What farmers should understand about phosphate availability heading into 2027 • The future of ag technology, startups, and solving problems across the food system AgCast brings farmers and agricultural leaders together for conversations about the ideas, businesses, and decisions shaping the future of agriculture. Topics: fertilizer prices, phosphate fertilizer, MAP fertilizer, DAP fertilizer, farm inputs, agriculture supply chains, crop production, ag technology, farm profitability

Phosphate, Supply Chains & the 2027 Fertilizer Shock

AgCast by Purdue Commercial Agriculture

# Full Transcript

**Podcast:** AgCast by Purdue Commercial Agriculture

## Participants

- **Chad Feichter** (None)
- **Todd Kuethe** (None)
- **Hunter Swisher** (Phospholutions)

## Transcript

For me, it was the OPEC of the future was what I was told. The OPEC of the future is going to be about phosphorus, not petroleum. I was pretty dumbfounded. I mean, phosphate, the backbone of your DNA, it's the ATP, right? The thing that transfers energy through your cell. It is an every living thing in substantial quantities. It is a critical nutrient and we're just dumping it in the bottom of the ocean in a very linear fashion. Hey everybody, welcome back to Purdue Commercial AgCast. This is Chad Feichter and I'm pumped because I got my buddy back. Todd, where you been?

Hi, Todd Kuethe. And I've been on sabbatical. What is sabbatical? That's a great question. People are outside of academia. It's going to sound like the biggest gimmick rigged system ever. And that's because in some ways it kind of feels like it is. So the idea is... Don't say that. I know, but I feel like I have to admit what it is first and acknowledge that, right?

Which is, it's an incredible perk of being a professor in a tenured faculty role, which is every seven years you get the chance to have some time off to focus on your professional development. So basically they say, what do you need to work on to get better at your job in a way that also benefits the university? And we'll clear that space and you can have that time.

So I taught on a program called Semester at Sea. About 480 college students and 30 faculty members living on a ship as we traveled from 10 countries, starting in Asia, working our way around Africa and ending in Europe. And when the ship was moving, I taught economics class. I taught three classes. You would take classes intensively and then you'd hit some country and it's like, you're free to travel.

And then after about six days of the country, then you get back on the ship and it'd be another like eight to 10 days of teaching and learning and then back. So it was a wonderful experience. I learned a ton. I'm still processing it, but I am more than anything, because today is one of those days when Indiana weather is perfect. Oh yeah. And it's beautiful. We only get so many of these days. I wish we had more, but today's one of those. And I'm like, it just feels great to be back in Indiana.

The question I have though is any reflections as they pertain to our podcast, as we get ready to introduce our guest? I think from being gone for so long, traveling around, meeting all these new people, seeing different parts of the world. Again, what initially ignited us was our curiosity about the ag sector and wanting to have interesting conversations with interesting people. And now I'm like, oh man, there's interesting dimensions I haven't even thought about before.

It's like, I'm ready to dive back in. That's what I'm getting. Okay. That's perfect because we're going...

Phosphate, Supply Chains & the 2027 Fertilizer Shock

Transcript

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Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
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Phosphate, Supply Chains & the 2027 Fertilizer Shock

Transcript

Built for investment professionals

Every day you wait, your competitors are findingedge in conversations you're not hearing.

Every day you wait, your competitors are finding
edge in conversations you're not hearing.