Fertilizer Transparency

Summary#

This measure adds a new mandatory reporting program for fertilizer to the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946. It requires manufacturers and non-cooperative wholesalers to report, at least weekly, prices and quantities for nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and other fertilizer products sold in the United States. The Secretary of Agriculture must publish the reported information at least weekly on national and regional or state levels, summarize the data on an accessible dashboard, and run a weekly retail price survey through the Market News program. Cooperatives and retailers are exempt from mandatory reporting but may voluntarily and confidentially provide data. The text includes confidentiality protections, limits on Freedom of Information Act disclosure for submitted data, a required review every two years, and a statement that antitrust laws remain in effect.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a manufacturer or a non-cooperative wholesaler: you would need to report weekly prices and quantities for key fertilizer nutrients and products. Reporting must be made by corporate officers or designated representatives.
  • If you are a cooperative or primarily a retailer: you are exempt from mandatory reporting but can choose to report confidentially.
  • If you are a farmer or other market participant: the Secretary will publish weekly national and regional/state price and quantity summaries and maintain an easy-to-access dashboard and retail price benchmarks to help with marketing decisions.
  • Reported data will be aggregated to protect business identities, but the Secretary can disclose information for enforcement purposes when directed by the Secretary or Attorney General, or by a court.

Expenses#

No publicly available information.

Proponents' View#

The text states the program will provide timely, accurate, and reliable market information for farmers and market participants, help people make more informed marketing decisions, and promote competition in the fertilizer industry.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information.