As I meet with farmers across America and hear their concerns, one refrain has echoed above all others in recent weeks: the rising cost of fertilizer. This anxiety is real and matters to all Americans, because fertilizer is essential for maintaining our ability to feed ourselves as a nation. When it becomes unaffordable, our food security is threatened, and with it, our national security and our freedom.
Unfortunately, expensive fertilizer has been a longstanding issue. The last administration did little as the price of fertilizer shot up 40 percent, at one point even reaching 99 percent higher prices. Prices are high now, but they pale in comparison to peaks under Biden.
When it comes to the past decade of price hikes, industry consolidation is largely to blame, as four companies control three-fourths of the domestic nitrogen fertilizer market — two of which are not even American owned— driving farmers to rely on countries like Russia and other unstable suppliers for this critical input.
This is an immediate problem in need of both short- and long-term solutions. Fortunately, President Donald Trump has made this issue a top priority. Under his leadership, we have achieved unprecedented collaboration across government and the private sector on a host of policies to give our farmers greater predictability and options.
The Trump administration has already taken bold actions to make fertilizer more affordable and accessible for our farmers in the short-term. In March, President Trump suspended the Jones Act for 60 days, and he has since extended it for 90 more days, boosting shipping flexibility to help fertilizer flow more freely to U.S. ports. To further grow domestic supply, he recently removed restrictions on fertilizer imports from Venezuela. The Department of Transportation has been working to identify additional short-term solutions as well, so that fertilizer can be transported more efficiently this planting season.
At the president’s urging, the private sector has also stepped up to meet the moment. Manufacturers listened to farmers and made fertilizer options more accessible and affordable, including by prioritizing supply for American customers this season and allowing them to lock in pricing through the 2028 season.
At the same time, we are also working to rebuild domestic production capacity in the long-term. Left and right, we are incentivizing the private sector to start building so that we can manufacture more affordable fertilizer here at home. Several ongoing projects are expected to reach major construction benchmarks in the coming year, and early estimates suggest these facilities will supercharge our domestic production capacity as they begin operation.
Transforming an industry reliant on global markets won’t happen overnight. But by streamlining permitting, fast-tracking projects, and recruiting greater investments into the U.S. through the Commerce Department’s Investment Accelerator, the Trump administration is leveraging every opportunity to onshore and nearshore fertilizer production in record time. Additionally, the Department of Energy recently closed a major loan to help finance a coal and ammonia fertilizer facility in Indiana, which will produce 500,000 metric tons of anhydrous ammonia per year.
And in March, President Trump directed the Environmental Protection Agency to rewrite the rules on Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF), spurring the Dakota Gasification Company to deliberately prioritize higher urea production while reducing DEF output.
American innovation is another key weapon in our arsenal. From expanding research into more efficient crop nutrition options that diversify away from imported fertilizers to harnessing new agricultural technology so our farmers can do more with less, we are leaving no stone unturned in the fight for affordable farming.
To be clear, our work to rebuild domestic production didn’t just begin this year. Last fall, the Trump administration listed two key fertilizer ingredients, phosphate and potash, on our list of critical minerals. And together with the Department of Justice, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has beefed up antitrust enforcement to prevent any anticompetitive behavior by fertilizer manufacturers.
Today, lawmakers in Washington will gather with industry experts to discuss the state of fertilizer access and how to best position the U.S. moving forward. Many in Congress have already put forward innovative solutions to supplement our existing efforts, and we hope for continued collaboration to strengthen American agriculture and our the national security. Thanks to President Trump’s commitment and vision, we are building a future where our farmers are not beholden to foreign, even hostile, nations to feed, fuel, and clothe our nation and the world.
Secretary Brooke L. Rollins is the Secretary of Agriculture.