ARA Urges Congress to Complete USDA Fertilizer Market Study Before Establishing New Reporting Mandate

ARLINGTON, Va. - The Agricultural Retailers Association (ARA) appreciates the hard work of Senate Agriculture Committee leadership in moving forward with the process of passing a new multi-year Farm Bill and urges committee members to advance this legislation in a bipartisan manner. However, ARA also today urged Congress to first implement the fertilizer market research provisions included in Section 12302 of the Senate Agriculture Committee Farm Bill draft before establishing a new federal fertilizer reporting program under Section 12303. 

"ARA supports transparency in fertilizer markets, but Congress should first allow the USDA to complete the comprehensive market study outlined in Section 12302 before creating a permanent federal reporting program," said Daren Coppock, ARA President and CEO. "Congress already recognizes the need for additional analysis by directing USDA to examine fertilizer markets, pricing trends, market concentration, supply chain dynamics, and whether additional reporting is warranted. ARA believes Congress should allow USDA to complete that evaluation before establishing a mandatory federal reporting program."

The Senate Farm Bill draft includes fertilizer research provisions from the bipartisan House Farm Bill under Section 12302, directing USDA to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the fertilizer marketplace, including market concentration, pricing trends, supply chain conditions, and whether additional fertilizer reporting requirements are needed.

"Section 12303 effectively presumes the answer before USDA has conducted the analysis required under Section 12302," Coppock stated. "Congress should first gather the facts, review USDA's findings, and then determine whether a reporting program is necessary. We believe the better approach is to let the research findings inform future policy decisions, rather than predetermining the outcome. Farmers already know what price they're paying at the retail level.”

ARA is also concerned that the legislation as written could inadvertently classify routine retail blending as manufacturing activity.

"Retail blending is a standard agronomic service farmers rely on every day," Coppock explained. "Congress should clarify that routine blending activities performed to meet a farmer's specific agronomic needs do not trigger federal reporting requirements."

ARA stands ready to work with Congress and USDA to ensure sound research, market realities, and the needs of American farmers guide fertilizer policy.

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