U.S. Phosphate Fertilizer Manufacturer Forms Organization to Fight Imports
The Mosaic Company, the largest U.S. phosphate fertilizer company, has also formed an organization – Ag Independence for America – and produced an ad to hit back at critics of the Commerce Department’s countervailing duties on imports.
“Foreign governments are heavily subsidizing phosphate production in their countries so it can be sold at artificially low prices aimed at forcing other producers out of the market,” says Benjamin Pratt, Mosaic’s senior vice president for government and public affairs. “American farmers and consumers should not be reliant on foreign interests to provide this essential part of our food supply.”
Commerce has placed preliminary countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer from Morocco and Russia while investigations are conducted. Meanwhile OCP North America, a company that sells Moroccan-origin product has started its own group – Stand with U.S. Farmers – and several GOP lawmakers are opposing actions against the imports.
“Foreign governments are heavily subsidizing phosphate production in their countries so it can be sold at artificially low prices aimed at forcing other producers out of the market,” says Benjamin Pratt, Mosaic’s senior vice president for government and public affairs. “American farmers and consumers should not be reliant on foreign interests to provide this essential part of our food supply.”
Commerce has placed preliminary countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer from Morocco and Russia while investigations are conducted. Meanwhile OCP North America, a company that sells Moroccan-origin product has started its own group – Stand with U.S. Farmers – and several GOP lawmakers are opposing actions against the imports.