(Washington D.C.) – Senators Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) and Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) has been joined by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) to reintroduce bipartisan legislation to shine a light on market factors driving the high cost of fertilizer, which is a major expense for farmers. The Fertilizer Research Act would require the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to conduct a study on competition and trends in the fertilizer market and their subsequent impacts on price. Grassley is a lifelong family farmer and a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee.
Ernst said, “I’m working hard to drive down fertilizer costs and make life more affordable for both farmers and consumers. By gaining a better understanding of the fertilizer industry, this research will provide the foundational knowledge needed to give farmers much needed clarity and certainty as harvest approaches.”
Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) is also a cosponsor of the legislation.
The Fertilizer Research Act is endorsed by the National Corn Growers Association, the American Soybean Association, the American Farm Bureau Federation, the National Farmers Union, the Farm Action Fund, the Iowa Farmers Union, the Iowa Farm Bureau, the Iowa Corn Growers Association (ICGA) and the Iowa Soybean Association.
“Fertilizer remains one of the highest and most unpredictable input costs for Iowa farmers, yet we lack the transparency to fully understand what drives those fluctuations. The Fertilizer Research Act is an important step toward greater accountability in the industry and will provide farmers with the clarity needed to better manage fertilizer cost,” said Tom Adam, Iowa Soybean Association President and farmer from Harper, Iowa.
