Government : Senator Ernst visits Lillibridge Farm to discuss skyrocketing Fertilizer Costs

Area Farmer Lance Lillibridge hosted a group gathering at his farm to discuss the skyrocketing costs of farming

Senator Ernst made a stop at an area farm in Vinton on Friday. Gathering farmers, industry professionals, and federal and state policymakers to discuss the increased, historic fertilizer costs, which have skyrocketed by 300% over the past year in some cases the group discussed the effects on farming operations.

After hearing from countless agriculture industry professionals and farm families about the record, sky-high fertilizer costs on her 99 county tour, U.S. Senator Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), a member of the Senate Agriculture Committee, hosted a roundtable discussion with farmers, industry professionals, and federal and state policymakers to discuss how the historic prices are impacting farmers and the industry.

"As fertilizer costs skyrocket to record levels, topping 14-year highs in some cases, Iowa farmers are facing a crisis," said Senator Joni Ernst. "Today's roundtable-bringing together farmers, the heads of some of Iowa's top agriculture groups, industry professionals, and federal and state policymakers-was an engaging discussion to better understand the causes of these historic costs and to ultimately work toward solutions. I look forward to continuing these conversations and addressing this crisis head on to ensure Iowa's farmers, who feed and fuel the world, can continue to thrive."

In some instances, fertilizer costs have increased by as much as 300% over the last year. These historic costs are causing added stress to farmers' livelihoods, thinning their margins despite higher commodity prices, and forcing many to rethink their planting and application strategies.

During the discussion, Ernst heard from heads of some of Iowa's major agriculture groups about the impact of these increased costs. Federal and state policymakers and private-sector innovators of new farming technology also joined the conversation to contribute their perspective on the crisis and to provide insight on possible solutions to help farmers and the agricultural community.

Participants at the roundtable included:

• Lance Lillibridge - President of Iowa Corn and Vinton farmer who hosted the meeting at his farm
• Dr. Zachary Stewart - an official from the Center for Agriculture-Led Growth, USAID
• Jason Troendle - Director of Market Intelligence and Research for the Fertilizer Institute
• Chris Behrens - Executive Vice-President of Sales and Marketing for Heartland Cooperative
• Brent Johnson - President of the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation and an Iowa farmer from Calhoun County
• Robb Ewoldt - President of the Iowa Soybean Association
• State Senator Dan Zumbach - Chair of the Iowa Senate Agriculture Committee
• Amanda De Jong - Head of Government Relations and Policy Engagement for Pivot Bio, an agricultural biotechnology companyPivot Bio
• Julie Kenney - Iowa Deputy Secretary of Agriculture and Land Stewardship
• Tom Gerhold - Iowa House Representative, District 75
• Dawn Driscoll - Iowa State Senator, District 38

Ernst has consistently heard from farmers about the impact of these increased fertilizer costs. She sent a letter to U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai along with Senator Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) urging affordable and accessible inputs for America's farmers and agriculture producers. The senators implored the Ambassador to prioritize producers' fertilizer needs immediately.