ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – Congressman Josh Riley is part of a bipartisan group trying to help farmers.
On April 3, Riley and others introduced the Fertilizer Transparency Act.
It would require manufacturers and wholesalers to publish weekly reports on prices and quantities of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. The USDA currently only publishes pricing data on an annual and volunteer basis.
Riley says the real-time information would allow farmers to prepare for potential market disruptions.
“Farmers in New York’s 19th district are already up against the wall [with] unpredictable weather, volatile markets, and now a war halfway around the world is spiking the cost of the fertilizer they depend on every season,” said Riley. “That’s not fair, and it’s not something our farmers should have to navigate blind. The Fertilizer Transparency Act gives them the market information they need to plan, to budget, and to keep food on the tables of families across this country. This is common-sense, bipartisan legislation that will make a real difference for agriculture in New York.”
The bill is in response to disrupted and backed-up shipments near the Strait of Hormuz from the war in Iran and other conflicts in the Middle East, which plays a central role in global fertilizer production. It’s estimated that nearly a third of the world’s fertilizer supply passes through the Strait of Hormuz.
You can read more about and access the full text of the bill here.
The Fertilizer Transparency Act is cosponsored by Representatives Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Angie Craig (D-MN), Brad Finstad (R-MN), Randy Feenstra (R-IA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), Zach Nunn (R-IA), Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), Mariannette Miller-Meeks (R-IA), and Eric Sorenson (D-IL). Senator John Thune (R-SD) has introduced companion legislation in the Senate.
