Kentucky Farm Bureau President Eddie Melton urged Congress to take immediate action to address rising fertilizer costs and growing financial pressure on farmers during testimony before the U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee on Tuesday.
According to a release, Melton, a fifth-generation farmer from Webster County, told lawmakers the cost of fertilizer has continued to climb while commodity prices have fallen sharply. He said anhydrous fertilizer prices have increased 33 percent since February, while urea prices are up 55 percent, and liquid nitrogen has risen 25 percent. At the same time, corn prices have dropped from $7 a bushel in 2022 to about $4.50 today.
Melton said this marks the fourth straight year of economic decline for the farm sector, leaving many producers with little or no working capital to manage risk or invest in future production.
Citing an American Farm Bureau Federation survey, Melton said only 29 percent of Kentucky farmers were able to pre-book fertilizer, while nearly 72 percent reported they could not afford all the fertilizer needed for this growing season.
Melton called on Congress to provide additional economic assistance to farmers, increase transparency in fertilizer markets, and expand domestic fertilizer production. He warned that continued farm closures and farmland loss could threaten long-term food security and increase dependence on foreign supply chains.
Melton said ensuring farmers have access to affordable inputs and fair markets is critical to the future stability of American agriculture and the nation’s food supply.
