AFBF Analyzes Possible Policy Solutions to Fertilizer Challenges

Smith: America's farmers are feeling the squeeze of high input costs, especially for fertilizer. American Farm Bureau Economist Faith Parum says a new white paper analyzes the problem in more detail.

Parum: AFBF released a fertilizer white paper called "A Strategic Fertilizer Response: Policy Considerations for U.S. Agriculture" to talk about the volatility we have all seen in the fertilizer market, some of the actions that USDA, the administration, and Congress are taking to stabilize that market, and policy considerations for things we can do in the future.

Smith: She said the fertilizer market is a global market, so anytime there is a disruption, the impact is felt around the world.

Parum: It makes prices more expensive here at home, and so this just helps outline some key policy areas where Congress and the administration can look at to help smooth out that volatility. Things like increasing domestic production. Increasing fertilizer transparency. There's been some talk about a fertilizer reserve, so it looks into what a fertilizer reserve would even look like.

Smith: Now that the paper has been published, she talks about what's next.

Parum: So next, it's up to our Farm Bureau members and their policy development process as counties across the country get together to talk about the challenges they face, and the policy they want to see implemented here in Washington, and the white paper poses some questions to help get that discussion going. And you can find the white paper at fb.org/fertilizer.

Smith: Chad Smith, Washington.