WASHINGTON – Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa)
sent a letter to Attorney General Garland calling on the Department of Justice
(DOJ) to investigate concerns raised by American farmers about possible
anti-competitive activity and market manipulation in the fertilizer industry.
“Fertilizer is an essential input for
farmers across the country. Without fertilizer, crop yields and agricultural
productivity would be significantly reduced. I have heard numerous concerns
from Iowans and member organizations expressing concerns that fertilizer
companies are colluding and unfairly raising the price of their products,” Grassley wrote.
In an industry with limited participants,
fertilizer companies have the means available to manipulate the price farmers
pay. The industry has seen dramatic growth with the price of nitrogen
fertilizer doubling, anhydrous rising by 131 percent, urea by 110 percent and
potash up 120 percent.
“The DOJ should initiate an investigation
of the fertilizer market so that farmers across the country can have assurances
that there are no violations of U.S. antitrust law in the fertilizer industry,”
the letter continued.
“Fertilizer tariffs are placing an
incredible financial burden on American farmers. There is no reason that
corporations like Mosaic Co. and CF Industries should be using the government
to expand their monopolies at the expense of farmers. That’s why we were so
grateful that Sen. Grassley met with us, listened to our story and then took
immediate action,” Chris Edgington, National
Corn Growers Association President, said.
Grassley has been a strong advocate for
family farmers and the impact felt with continued consolidation within various
sectors of agriculture. Grassley has used his position both on the Senate
Judiciary Committee and Senate Agriculture Committee to shine a light on anticompetitive
industry actions and ensure family farmers have a voice in Washington D.C.
Full text of the letter can be found HERE.