The Kansas Corn Growers Association (KCGA) welcomed Federal Trade Commission Chairman Andrew Ferguson’s announcement of a long-awaited investigation into the fertilizer industry’s pricing practices and market concentration. The FTC chairman announced the investigation today at a gathering of farmers from across 18 states including Kansas, on a North Texas farm.

“I’m announcing that, on my order, the commission some time ago commenced a major industry-wide investigation into the precipitous rise of fertilizer prices in this country, which has affected so many of our nation’s farmers, including everyone in this room, including the issuance of compulsory process,” Chairman Ferguson said. “USDA data has shown the single largest increase in input costs of farmers across the United States since 2020 has come from fertilizer… These continued price increases are not something our nation, much less our farmers, can continue to ignore.”

Kansas Corn leaders have been working to ensure farmers voices are heard in the fertilizer pricing issue. Earlier this month, KCGA Secretary Tanner McNinch, Ness City, left the planter to speak to lawmakers and participate in a Senate Agriculture Committee hearing on the issue. Today, Brett Grauerholz, KCGA Vice President, took time away from his farm in Republic County to speak at the fertilizer event in Texas.

“Our Kansas farmers are facing a generational input crisis, and we made sure the FTC Chairman heard it loud and clear,” Grauerholz said. “Leaving the farm idle during peak season to stand up for our growers isn’t convenient, but bringing transparency, trade relief, and real market competition to the fertilizer industry is absolutely non-negotiable for the survival of the Kansas family farms.”

The event — “Fed Up: Fertilizer Cartel Profits off Farmers’ Backs and Your Grocery Bill” — took aim at the crushing input costs set by Mosaic, Nutrien, CF Industries and Koch. Those costs have driven family farms to the breaking point, with bankruptcies climbing to record numbers, as fertilizer shareholder profits hit record highs. To paint a picture with numbers, fertilizer prices rose more than 150% since 2020, far outpacing inflation, while net farm income fell 31% from its 2022 peak.

Following the Chairman’s keynote, farmers from across the country joined an on-stage panel before a crowd of more than 100 agricultural leaders and producers who traveled from multiple states to attend. Farmers shared firsthand accounts of how rising fertilizer costs and concentrated market power are squeezing family operations and urged the FTC to take aggressive action to protect American agriculture from further decline. Graurholz said the meeting was an excellent opportunity to bring farmers’ concerns before the FTC Chairman and staff.

“It was a great chance to discuss how fertilizer prices are affecting our producers. We took the concerns of Kansas corn farmers directly to the top of the FTC,” Grauerholz said after the event. “We are out here fighting for our farms, and FTC Chairman Ferguson heard our message loud and clear.”

The announcement drew an immediate response from the farm leaders who organized the event.

“Chairman Ferguson said what every farmer in that room already knew — this nation cannot continue to ignore what’s happening in the fertilizer market,” Texas Corn Producers Chairman Aaron Martinka said. “A fertilizer cartel has squeezed American agriculture to the breaking point, while driving up grocery costs for every family in this country. Farmers are fed up, and we are not going away. The FTC’s investigation is a critical step toward restoring the fair, competitive marketplace that farm families and American consumers deserve.”

The FTC reiterated its commitment to maintaining the confidentiality of its sources in its investigative process, with the chairman citing the Commission’s launch of a confidentiality commitment on its website last week. Ferguson encouraged those with information that would be helpful in its investigation to come forward to the FTC, with the confidence of the Commission’s protection.

“I want to encourage all Kansas Corn farmers and retailers, if you have information that you’re willing to share, please contact the FTC directly,” Grauerholz said.

Background:

By Chapter 12 bankruptcy filings (2025, year-over-year change):

1. Arkansas: 33 filings (+100%) — most in the state in the 21st century
2. Georgia: 27 filings (+145%)
3. Iowa: 18 filings (+220%)
4. Midwest region: 121 total filings (led all regions)
5. Southeast region: 105 total filings (second highest)
6. 839 farms filed for bankruptcy in the last four years — and that’s just the ones who made it to court. The U.S. lost 35,000 farms in that same period.

Sources: AFBF Chapter 12 data; USDA NASS Farms & Land in Farms; USDA ERS Farm Labor