Ag Groups Question Duties on Phosphates
Published: Friday, December 22, 2023
The following is from the National Sorghum Producers.
Over 55 agriculture groups, including the National Sorghum Producers, recently sent a letter to David Johanson, chairman of the U.S. International Trade Commission, regarding the remand decision for duties on phosphate fertilizer imported from Morocco.
The groups wrote, "As farmers continue to experience high costs and supply challenges for fertilizer inputs, our organizations hold deep concern for actions that restrict availability of phosphate into the U.S. market. We urge the ITC to consider impacts on family farms as it works to reconsider its determination of material injury to domestic industries."
The groups continued, "Rising prices for fertilizer inputs have strained America's farmers and ranchers and have impacted availability for this critical component of nutrient and yield management. Without predictable options to source this product, farmers struggle to plan for the future. International supply chain issues further complicate the ability to source phosphate.
"For example, triple super phosphate is not available domestically but still faces a duty. Agriculture supply chains are intricate and complicated, and the premise that re-shipping product from an originally intended destination to respond to regional demand fluctuations is simply not correct. Instead, reliance on this incorrect premise has led to high fertilizer costs that create volatility and compromise the ability of farmers to be successful."
Also, Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Congressman Tracey Mann (R-Kan.), last week led 11 of their colleagues in a letter to Johanson. The lawmakers expressed concerns regarding countervailing duties (CVD) on phosphate fertilizers, and more specifically, expressed concerns that the "voices of farmers and agricultural retailers are not being allowed into the record for consideration by the Commission on remand."
The lawmakers wrote, "The bottom line is that fertilizer is critical to national security and national defense. Its affordability is also critical to the farm economy. Any decision that has the ability to increase the cost of production for U.S. farmers and ranchers threatens our food security and national security. This makes it preeminently important that the commission takes a wide approach to gathering relevant information rather than a narrow one."
The lawmakers concluded, "We urge the commission to give careful consideration to the information it has received in the remand proceeding before issuing its response and request that the commission expand the recipients of the questionnaire."
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