A bill to provide transparency for fertilizer prices has been introduced in the U.S. Senate by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and by Senators Klobuchar, Grassley and Baldwin. The “Fertilizer Transparency Act of 2026” would provide farmers with timely and accurate information on fertilizer and fertilizer products by requiring USDA to collect and publish data on prices from manufacturers weekly. Currently USDA conducts an annual voluntary survey on prices of inputs.
Senator Thune said, “South Dakota’s producers have been facing some pretty fierce economic headwinds over the past few years. Higher prices for fertilizer – and the uncertainty surrounding costs – have only strained their budgets even further. This legislation would empower producers with better information about fertilizer pricing so they can make cost-effective choices when it comes to purchasing key inputs for their crops.”
Senator Grassley said, “Family farmers are suffering under high input costs that are pushing the ag economy to the brink. By requiring weekly reports on phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium, our bipartisan legislation will shine a light on fertilizer markets and promote much-needed transparency and competition in the ag economy.”
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.