A coalition of more than 50 state agricultural organizations and eight national farm groups is urging the Commerce Department to eliminate tariffs on imported phosphate fertilizers, arguing the levies are creating additional financial strain across the U.S. farm economy.
In a letter submitted Friday as part of a required federal review process, Indiana-based groups—including the Indiana Corn Growers Association and the Indiana Soybean Alliance’s Membership & Policy Committee—along with national groups including the National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) and the American Soybean Association (ASA), warned that maintaining the duties would further limit access to a critical crop input and deepen an already challenging economic environment for producers.
“Maintaining the phosphate fertilizer duties will allow a small set of powerful corporations to continue to limit supply options for farmers,” the groups wrote. They added that restricted access has already contributed to lower yields and negative economic consequences.
Phosphate fertilizer is a key component in the production of staple crops such as corn, soybeans and cotton, and is widely viewed by growers as essential to maintaining productivity and competitiveness in both domestic and global markets.
The tariffs date to 2020, when the Commerce Department imposed countervailing duties on imports from Morocco and Russia following a petition from The Mosaic Company, a major U.S. fertilizer producer. Mosaic argued at the time that foreign competitors were benefiting from government subsidies and undercutting domestic prices. The petition was supported by J.R. Simplot Company.
Under federal law, the duties are now subject to a “sunset review,” a process that determines whether removing the tariffs would likely lead to the continuation of unfair trade practices. The outcome could shape fertilizer markets at a time when farmers are already grappling with high input costs and volatile commodity prices.
Farm groups contend the tariffs have had significant downstream effects. At least one Moroccan supplier curtailed shipments to the United States following the decision, contributing to tighter supplies and higher prices. Those pressures, they say, have intensified amid broader geopolitical instability, including conflict in the Middle East.
The letter highlights the growing burden of input costs on farm operations, noting that fertilizer accounted for roughly 40 percent of operating expenses for many growers in 2025. Rising prices, the groups argue, are influencing planting decisions and threatening the long-term viability of some farms.
“These duties have placed additional strain on farmers already navigating volatile commodity markets, weather uncertainty, and rising expenses across nearly every category of farm operations,” the letter states, warning that affordability concerns are becoming increasingly acute.
The coalition said it previously raised its concerns directly with executives at Mosaic and Simplot but did not receive a response. It is now calling on the Commerce Department and the U.S. International Trade Commission to weigh the impact on farmers as they consider whether to maintain or revoke the tariffs.
CLICK HERE to read the letter.
