White House Suspends Phosphate Duties, Delivering Relief For Corn Growers

Posted on: Jun 30, 2026

The Missouri Corn Growers Association (MCGA) is applauding President Donald Trump for signing an executive order temporarily suspending countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer imports from Morocco, providing much-needed relief to farmers facing some of the highest fertilizer costs in decades.

For years, Missouri Corn has worked alongside the National Corn Growers Association and state corn organizations to make the case that reduced fertilizer supplies and limited competition are driving up fertilizer costs for farmers. Backed by strong grassroots support, Missouri Corn grower-leaders have consistently called for action to address these serious concerns.

"This is a significant win," said MCGA President Brian Lehman, a corn grower from Versailles, Mo. "Fertilizer is one of the biggest expenses on our farms, and these duties made a difficult situation even harder. We appreciate President Trump for listening to farmers and signing this executive order to improve fertilizer availability ahead of next year's corn crop."

The executive order temporarily suspends duties on Moroccan phosphate imports for up to eight months as global supply disruptions continue to tighten fertilizer availability. Morocco holds roughly 70 percent of the world's phosphate reserves, and restoring access is expected to improve availability and ease pressure on fertilizer prices. A recent Texas A&M University study estimated the duties added nearly $6.9 billion in fertilizer costs for U.S. farmers between 2021 and 2025.

"This didn't happen overnight," Lehman said. "Keeping fertilizer affordable has been one of Missouri Corn's top priorities because it's one of the biggest expenses growers face every year. It's encouraging to see our concerns finally reflected in federal action, but there's still work to do to ensure farmers have a marketplace that is transparent, competitive, and fair."

Yesterday's executive order builds on ongoing investigations by the Federal Trade Commission and Department of Justice into potential anti-competitive practices in the fertilizer industry. MCGA will continue working with the administration and partners to help ensure America's corn farmers remain competitive in today's global marketplace.