Kansas Senator Roger Marshall (R) says a series of bills being considered in the U.S Senate could deliver much-needed relief from high fertilizer prices.
He says the latest measure removes countervailing duties on phosphate imports from Morocco. “It would lower the cost of phosphate fertilizer by over 20 percent. That’s $150 a ton, which is real money that goes back to the farmer.”
The Lowering Input Costs for American Farmers Act would also end the 2021 countervailing duty order on imports and restore access to competitively priced phosphate fertilizer for producers. The bill is co-sponsored by Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), and Joni Ernst (R-IA).
During remarks at a recent USDA press conference, Senator Marshall said there is strong bipartisan support for other bills that address rising prices. “They work together to lower farmers’ fertilizer costs by requiring price transparency and market research, promoting domestic production and competition and reducing regulatory barriers. They all create pathways for one of my favorite areas for biostimulants that lower costs for alternatives.”
The package includes the Homegrown Fertilizer Act, the Plant Biostimulant Act and ensuring potash and phosphate are on the U.S. Critical Minerals List. All these measures have companion legislation in the U.S. House, but their path forward is unclear at this time.
The legislation is supported by several ag groups, including the National Corn Growers Association, American Soybean Association and American Farm Bureau.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
The pathway forward for Senator Marshall’s proposed legislation may not be clear, but one thing is – Congress is looking for opportunities to appropriate more money for our farmers/ranchers to ensure we do not experience another farm crisis like the one in the 1980’s. No matter how the legislation is labeled, it will provide relief for crop farmers across the nation. Figures as high as $20 billion have been tossed around. Make no mistake, farmers/ranchers are going to receive additional funding from government in 2026.
Much of that funding will be used to pay down operating loans but, rest assured, there will be trucks purchased as well. Be sure to brush up on all the CAD programs that are designed to help you conquest more sales, i.e. AgPack®, CADFI, CAD Protect and AgTruckTrader.com®. Each one offers another advantage to both the customer and you, the CAD member. Know them, use them!
