Washington, D.C. – On Tuesday, the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) urged the United States International Trade Commission to revoke countervailing duty (CVD) orders on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco and Russia, citing significant economic harm to U.S. wheat farmers.
In a letter to Secretary Lisa R. Barton, NAWG emphasized that maintaining these duties would continue to impose unnecessary costs on farmers already facing a challenging economic environment.
“Phosphate fertilizer is a critical and necessary component in growing wheat, and the current countervailing duties have placed an unsustainable financial burden on America’s farmers who raise wheat,” said NAWG CEO Sam Kieffer. “Revoking these orders would provide immediate and meaningful relief to growers and strengthen the competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.”
Fertilizer accounts for roughly 38 percent of wheat operating costs, according to USDA projections. Research from Texas A&M University estimates the duties added $6.9 billion in fertilizer costs for U.S. producers between 2021 and 2025, with wheat farmers bearing nearly $1 billion. NAWG’s analysis estimates wheat farmers alone incurred approximately nearly $1 billion in added costs over that period.
NAWG also noted that the U.S. relies on imports to meet phosphate demand, with domestic supply falling short by about 3 million metric tons annually. Reduced imports following the duties have tightened supply and contributed to higher prices.
“America’s wheat farmers are already facing multiple external pressures outside their control, including geopolitical disruptions that have recently exacerbated fertilizer and shipping costs. The Commission now has an opportunity to remove one cost driver that is within U.S. policy control,” Kieffer added.
Read the full letter here.
Read NAWG’s CVD analysis here.
