WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD NEWS) — Rising fertilizer and fuel costs continue to weigh heavily on farm margins as producers navigate planting season pressures and ongoing global uncertainty tied to energy markets and geopolitical conflict.
U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins joined RFD News by phone to discuss the administration’s response, saying efforts are underway on both short- and long-term strategies to stabilize input costs and strengthen domestic supply chains, adding that the administration is working with industry leaders and federal agencies on a “full toolkit” approach.
In her exclusive interview with RFD News on Tuesday afternoon, Secretary Rollins emphasized that fertilizer prices have climbed significantly in recent years and have been further affected by overseas conflict, and she is working with lawmakers across Washington to bring real relief to producers as soon as possible.
“Yeah, it’s a really important issue right now, especially for our farmers in planting food,” Rollins said. “And you mentioned it. Listen, this is not a new issue. The cost of fertilizer went up 40% in the last administration. We were working and had begun to see a little bit of moderation on that. When the conflict overseas happened, and the president, you know, was very clear. There may be some tribulations we’re going to have to work our way through. And, certainly, we have seen that specific to certain pieces of the fertilizer industry. But with regards to nitrogen and a few others, you’ve seen a big cost increase.”
She pointed to recent actions, including regulatory adjustments and efforts to improve domestic fertilizer movement and production capacity.
“So we have done a couple [of] things already; [and] we’ve got a lot more coming,” she said. “We waived the Jones Act. We’ve opened up a line from Venezuela. We’ll have more to announce in the next few days.”
Rollins also shared about her recent meeting with fertilizer industry CEOs and highlighted ongoing discussions with transportation and energy officials as part of a broader effort to address supply constraints. She also noted that additional policy announcements are expected in the coming days, outlining further steps.
“I met with several CEOs of fertilizer companies from around the world, actually, which goes to a much bigger question—and that is, why are we relying on fertilizer from other parts of the world? But that’s a long-term effort that we’re working on, we’ve got to fix that as well,” Rollins said. “We’re continuing our talks with Secretary Sean Duffy at Transportation, really working to honor and elevate companies like CSH, a fertilizer company out of Illinois that has agreed to stop any sort of maintenance on their plants so they can keep fertilizer moving and keep their prices down.”
Rollins emphasized that increasing domestic production remains a long-term priority, stating that reducing reliance on foreign fertilizer sources is central to improving farm security and price stability.
“So we’ve got an all-tools-in-the-tool kit approach right now for the short term, and then for the long term, really looking to see how to onshore or restore what we have moved out of America over the last couple of decades,” Rollins continued. “So, looking at potential investments from the Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, some of the tariff money perhaps being used to reinvest there. We’ll be announcing—I’ll be in Missouri on Friday to talk a little bit more about this—and then hopefully next week we’ll be able to release a pretty significant plan on how we’re going to approach both the short term and the long term here for our farmers.”
The Secretary also addressed congressional efforts, such as the proposed Fertilizer Transparency Act, saying that greater market data could help producers make more informed decisions and improve accountability across the supply chain.
“Obviously it would take a lot of manpower—it would—but listen, I agree. The more transparency, the more information we can get out to our farmers, the more accountability and measuring we’re able to do as an agriculture industry, the more successful we will be,” Rollins said. “And there are some really important questions out there, right? Why do our farmers continue to barely survive from season to season? From open markets to closed markets, why is it such a struggle when seed companies, fertilizer companies, equipment companies continue to year over year make record profits? These are really important questions. Also, why 20 years ago there were 30 companies providing fertilizer and seed, etc. —now it’s only a handful—and of that handful there, some that aren’t even America-based. So, certainly not ‘America First.’ And this is what President Trump was elected to do. For years, it’s a very short period of time to try to completely undo, deconstruct, and reconstruct an entire industry—but that’s what we’re working to do.”
On fuel prices, Rollins said President Donald Trump, administration officials, and other policymakers are all “highly aware” of diesel cost pressures facing farmers and are coordinating with energy and interior officials on mitigation strategies.
“Oh, [The President] is hyper aware. We’ve talked about it quite a bit. Lee Zeldin has been working to lift some of those restrictions—we’ll talk about that more hopefully by the end of this week as we’re mapping it out—but he’s hyper aware,” Rollins assured RFD-TV viewers. “And certainly Chris Wright, our Secretary of Energy, and Doug Burgum, our Secretary of the Interior and Chair of the National Energy Dominance Council. They’re talking about it every single day. We’re working alongside them. It is not sustainable, and we realize that. We’ve got to do everything we can, within the current circumstances, to bring mitigation some to that.”
Rollins also assured farmers that progress is being made to pass a new Farm Bill and bring long-awaited regulatory changes to help the ag industry thrive.
“And listen, I had a hearing in front of the House Appropriations Committee last week; I have another one with the Senate tomorrow — this is front and center on everyone’s minds,” she said. " We’re looking at [House Agriculture Committee Chairman, Glenn ‘G.T.’] Thompson’s farm bill getting voted on today or tomorrow, working with Senator Hoeven on the Senate side, on perhaps increasing the limit for CCC funds. It is an all-day, all-night effort. I’m about to jump on a call with the White House to talk about this, so really making sure it is front and center for everyone.”
Rollins described the current farm economy as challenging but pointed to recent trade activity, biofuel policy adjustments, and labor program changes as areas of progress aimed at improving long-term producer profitability.
“The good news—if I may, or maybe not good news yet — but the silver lining in all of this is, it really has shined a light on how important it is that we have got to be able to produce [fertilizer] within our own country,” Rollins said. “Relying on other countries like Russia and China, and to a certain extent even Canada, for some of this. It is not sustainable. We will not be able to pass freedom on to the next generation if we’re relying on other countries for our food, for our fertilizer, etc. I’ve been saying for a year now that ‘farm security is national security.’ And I think you’re seeing that a real recalibration of at least the federal government—and I know a lot of state governments, too—around the importance of the farmer and rancher in all of this, and making sure that the policy reflects that.”
In addition to reducing the ag trade deficit and passing a Farm Bill, Rollins also assured farmers and ranchers that other federal priorities include legalizing year-round E15 and lowering input costs, getting American-grown foods into schools, and more.
“So all of the pieces of the formula are there. We’re deploying at every potential opportunity, no matter what the day may hold,” Rollins said in closing. “Again, the Iranian conflict is so important to secure the safety of our world. And the President feels very strongly about that, but he also believes it will be quick and that it will get back to business as usual, which will be continuing to bring those input costs down. So, working every day to recalibrate so that we can put our farmers first instead of surviving year to year, they can begin to thrive and prosper — and putting the infrastructure in place to do that.”
