WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — Farm input availability and food security moved into national defense policy Wednesday after President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at protecting domestic supplies of elemental phosphorus and glyphosate-based herbicides. The White House argues that both products are critical for national and food security.
The order invokes the Defense Production Act of 1950 and gives the Secretary of Agriculture authority to prioritize contracts, allocate materials, and direct production to ensure an adequate supply. Federal officials say the materials are essential not only for military technology but also for crop production and livestock feed.
USDA will now determine production priorities and issue rules to maintain domestic output while protecting the viability of U.S. manufacturers.
Elemental phosphorus is a key ingredient in fertilizers and a precursor used to manufacture glyphosate herbicides. The Administration noted the United States currently has only one domestic producer and imports more than 6 million kilograms annually, creating vulnerability if the supply is disrupted.
The order warns that restricted access to glyphosate would lower yields, raise production costs, and pressure food prices — particularly significant during already tight farm margins. It also links phosphorus supply to semiconductors, batteries, and other defense technologies.
Glyphosate is also a key ingredient in the popular herbicide Roundup.
Trump’s order also follows an announcement earlier this week from Monsanto, a subsidiary of Bayer, proposing a $7.5 billion class settlement to resolve past and future claims against the company alleging long-term exposure to the chemical leads to increased rates of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).
Now, lawmakers and environmental and ag industry groups are starting to weigh in.
House Agriculture Committee Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson praised the move, calling it an important step toward maintaining access to key crop inputs — but others are not sold on it.
The Environmental Working Group calls the executive order a “shocking betrayal” to anyone living or working near farm fields where glyphosate is used.
Higher energy costs ripple through local farm supply chains.
February 26, 2026 08:00 AM
·
Policy awareness is becoming part of everyday risk management.
February 25, 2026 04:50 PM
·
USDA’s 2026 Food Price Outlook projects food prices rising 3.1%, with higher beef costs and falling egg prices shaping consumer trends.
February 25, 2026 11:46 AM
·
House Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson says the 2026 Farm Bill is bipartisan, with 82% of the bills incorporated into it receiving bipartisan support.
February 25, 2026 11:24 AM
·
Reliable canal infrastructure supports long-term access to global agricultural markets.
February 25, 2026 08:00 AM
·
Rail consolidation could affect grain basis, freight rates, and service reliability across major producing regions.
February 25, 2026 06:00 AM
·
For communities that depend on agriculture as their primary economic engine, the recession is not defined by headlines on Wall Street. It is defined by the quiet disappearance of the businesses that once processed, serviced, and supported the crop.
February 25, 2026 05:00 AM
·
Alan Bjerga of the National Milk Producers Federation discusses the Dairy Margin Coverage program, recent improvements, and what producers need to know ahead of this week’s enrollment deadline.
February 24, 2026 03:01 PM
·
Glyphosate and phosphorus are deemed critical to U.S. national defense, ensuring farmers’ access while signaling a shift toward regenerative agriculture. RealAg Radio host Shaun Haney shares insight on the Trump Administration’s move and what it could mean for U.S. farmers moving forward.
February 24, 2026 01:30 PM
·
Ag leaders say President Donald Trump’s State of the Union is unlikely to spark major agriculture headlines, but ongoing tariff uncertainty and trade policy remain key concerns, as does the debate around glyphosate and the status of the next Farm Bill.
February 24, 2026 11:57 AM
·
Expanded global trade access boosts long-term export demand potential for U.S. ag products.
February 23, 2026 03:03 PM
·
For the broader agricultural industry, a railroad antitrust case in Kansas could lead to the dismantling of legacy regulatory shields, creating a more fluid, market-driven transportation grid that prioritizes moving crops efficiently over protecting historic rail monopolies.
February 23, 2026 11:35 AM
·
