Good News for Crop Inputs Industry Following Chlorpyrifos, Phosphate Decisions
November 14, 2023 With all the typically bad/negative news that has been the norm for agriculture in recent months, it was very refreshing this past week to see not one, but two positive news stories appear on the national stage. These will undoubtedly have an impact on the crop protection products and fertilizer marketplaces going into the 2024 growing season.
First, for the crop protection market. In early November, the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a ruling throwing out the EPA’s rule that essentially banned the use of chlorpyrifos. Agriculture groups had originally brought a lawsuit against the agency in February 2022 seeking to restore farmers’ ability to use this tool to protect crops. The groups highlighted that, in EPA’s own records, agency career scientists have found at least 11 high-benefit, low-risk agricultural uses of chlorpyrifos that can be maintained safely.
In its decision, the court agreed. It found that EPA had disregarded its own scientists’ findings by ending numerous uses of chlorpyrifos they determined were safe, vacates the rule and restores agricultural uses of the tool.
Obviously, the ability to utilize another tool in the crop protection products toolbox for the upcoming 2024 growing season was met with applause by the grower community. “Today’s ruling is a win for agriculture and science-based regulation,” said Daryl Cates, President of the American Soybean Association and a grower in Illinois, in a statement regarding the ruling. “Federal agencies cannot be permitted to ignore their own science at the expense of America’s farmers. This ruling will restore safe, effective uses of a tool needed by many growers to protect crops from damaging pests and help preserve an affordable food supply.”
The other bit of good news involves fertilizer. Also in early November, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced it was lowering duties placed on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco from 19.97% to 2.12%. The decision comes after the agency conducted an administrative review of the duties, which is performed annually by retroactively examining the price of shipments and other factors. The issue stemmed from a decision by Commerce in 2020 that favored a petition by The Mosaic Company to impose duties on phosphate fertilizers imported from Morocco and Russia.
“This victory was made possible by corn growers across the country who spoke out against these duties as they faced skyrocketing fertilizer prices and product shortages at the behest of Mosaic,” said National Corn Growers Association President Harold Wolle. “While the best duty on fertilizers is no duty at all, we are nonetheless thrilled that corn growers bearing the brunt of these tariffs will feel financial relief thanks to this decision.”
Loading ...As the world enters the time of good will and tidings to all, it’s nice to see the agriculture industry being able to share in some of this joy.
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