Rounds requests Biden use ‘all options’ to lower fertilizer costs

U.S. Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) joined 18 of his Republican Senate colleagues in requesting that President Joe Biden review all available options to lower the cost of fertilizer.

“We are writing to express our serious concern regarding record-high fertilizer prices impacting American farmers going into the spring planting season,” the lawmakers wrote in a March 11 letter sent to Biden. “Fertilizer is a primary input and major expense for producers across the country, and price increases will have a significant effect on farm profitability and the prices of food and consumer products.”

Sen. Rounds and his colleagues cited data from the U.S. Department of Agricultural Marketing Services showing that the prices of key fertilizer sources have skyrocketed since January 2021.

For instance, anhydrous ammonia prices increased by 203 percent; Urea by 141 percent; liquid nitrogen by 162 percent; and farm diesel by 95 percent, according to the department.

“Ongoing supply-chain bottlenecks and the rising cost of energy are among the factors sending fertilizer prices soaring, and disruptions stemming from Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will only compound the problem,” wrote Sen. Rounds and the lawmakers. “As a result, Americans will pay more at restaurants, grocery stores and other places.”

They urged Biden to consider all available options to lower the cost of fertilizer, including eliminating the cross-border vaccine mandate for transporters of essential commerce; engaging stakeholders to prevent a Canadian Pacific Railway strike; ensuring agricultural minerals like phosphate and potash are part of the U.S. Department of the Interior’s List of Critical Minerals; increasing U.S. gas production; and approving pending export permits at the U.S. Department of Energy for liquefied natural gas, according to their letter.

“Quickly undertaking such measures is the most immediate — and perhaps only — near-term opportunity to partially remedy the high costs of fertilizer impacting American farmers and ultimately American consumers,” they wrote.

Among the lawmakers who joined Sen. Rounds in signing the letter were U.S. Sens. John Hoeven (R-ND), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Steve Daines (R-MT), and Richard Burr (R-NC).