A coalition of farm groups is sponsoring a website where farmers can anonymously explain the difficulties they’ve had in buying fertilizer. Over 170 farmers from 13 states were in Ogden Friday to make public statements in front of a top U-S-D-A official who used to be a judge on the U-S Court of International Trade. U-S-D-A Deputy Secretary Stephen Vaden (VAY-den) told the crowd it will be hard for sophisticated lawyers representing the fertilizer industry to explain away a pattern if it’s documented from hundreds of farmers’ stories.
Vaden says he understands some farmers — and businesses — may fear retaliation for sharing their stories and he encouraged farmers to use the anonymous route on the Save Family Farms Dot U-S (SaveFamilyFarms.US) website.
Mark Muench (like the word “MUNCH”), who raises corn and soybeans, hosted the event on his family farm north of Ogden. He says the cost of fertilizer is causing many producers to reach a breaking point.
John Settlemyer, a farmer from western Ohio, says the market is broken.
The Iowa Corn Growers Association organized Friday’s gathering. Steve Kuiper (KY-per), the group’s president, says it’s clear the U-S-D-A sees the market collusion and unfairness in the fertilizer industry and farmers will keep gathering evidence and push for action until farmers have access to a fair and free market.
