Rising fertilizer prices continue to weigh heavily on farmers’ bottom lines. Recently, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, along with Iowa Senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst, introduced bipartisan legislation called the Fertilizer Research Act. This bill is designed to increase transparency in the fertilizer market and help farmers better understand the factors behind rising costs.
The bill has the support of several farm organizations, including the Wisconsin Corn Growers Association. WCGA member and farmer Shane Goplin of HV Acres LLC says greater insight into pricing is badly needed. “Without having transparency in the fertilizer market, we really don’t know trends,” he explains. “From a farmer’s perspective, it seems like if the grain prices go up, the fertilizer prices go up. Why? We don’t know.”
Fertilizer makes up nearly 40% of a farmer’s costs. Unpredictability in the market makes it difficult for farmers to plan ahead or lock in profits. Goplin says that uncertainty threatens not only current operations but the next generation of farmers. “If we’re continuing to struggle at the farm gate level of cost of production and the stress of trying to turn a profit, what are we doing to try and attract the next generation?” he asks.
Supporters of the bill hope that by improving transparency, farmers will gain a clearer view of market trends. This will ultimately helping secure a more stable future for U.S. agriculture.
