“I want the Senate to pass my bill to study creating a backup supply of fertilizer for farmers. High fertilizer prices hurt farmers and raise grocery costs for families. President Trump's actions in Iran and his trade policies have made fertilizer, fuel, and equipment too expensive.”
“Mr. President, on the fertilizing bill, Trump’s terrible economy has been anything but fertile ground for American farmers. Today, along with Senator Klobuchar, I am announcing the Strategic Fertilizer Reserve Act to ensure farmers have access to the resources they need to feed our Nation’s people and our economy. Our farmers are getting crushed from all sides by this administration. Trump’s blunder in Iran has jacked up the price of fertilizer and diesel to record highs, making it harder for farmers to do their jobs, from planting to harvest. Meanwhile, Trump’s costly trade wars and tariffs have raised the cost of farm equipment and, worst of all, closed off markets for our farmers to sell their products. Farm bankruptcies are increasing because of the tariffs and the markets that Trump closed off. Many farmers were already struggling to get by, and now 70 percent of them say they haven’t been able to afford the fertilizer they need, all because of Trump’s Iran war. Our bill directs the USDA to explore creating a strategic fertilizer reserve to help American farmers weather supply chain shocks by Trump’s Iran war. Farmers already have to deal with enough uncertainty as it is: unpredictable weather, inconsistent crop yields, unforeseen blights. They shouldn’t have to factor in the chaos coming out of Trump’s White House, on top of it all. Soaring fertilizer costs squeeze farmers first, but it doesn’t take long for that pain to hit American families at the grocery store. Every Senator who cares about lowering costs, every Senator who cares about helping farmers in rural communities, every Senator, period, ought to get behind this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows:”
Mr. President, on the fertilizing bill, Trump’s terrible economy has been anything but fertile ground for American farmers. Today, along with Senator Klobuchar, I am announcing the Strategic Fertilizer Reserve Act to ensure farmers have access to the resources they need to feed our Nation’s people and our economy. Our farmers are getting crushed from all sides by this administration. Trump’s blunder in Iran has jacked up the price of fertilizer and diesel to record highs, making it harder for farmers to do their jobs, from planting to harvest. Meanwhile, Trump’s costly trade wars and tariffs have raised the cost of farm equipment and, worst of all, closed off markets for our farmers to sell their products. Farm bankruptcies are increasing because of the tariffs and the markets that Trump closed off. Many farmers were already struggling to get by, and now 70 percent of them say they haven’t been able to afford the fertilizer they need, all because of Trump’s Iran war. Our bill directs the USDA to explore creating a strategic fertilizer reserve to help American farmers weather supply chain shocks by Trump’s Iran war. Farmers already have to deal with enough uncertainty as it is: unpredictable weather, inconsistent crop yields, unforeseen blights. They shouldn’t have to factor in the chaos coming out of Trump’s White House, on top of it all. Soaring fertilizer costs squeeze farmers first, but it doesn’t take long for that pain to hit American families at the grocery store. Every Senator who cares about lowering costs, every Senator who cares about helping farmers in rural communities, every Senator, period, ought to get behind this legislation. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the text of the bill be printed in the Record. There being no objection, the text of the bill was ordered to be printed in the Record, as follows: