Area fertilizer prices have skyrocketed over the last year. Now, Iowa’s Attorney General says he is looking into the reasons behind the 200 and 300% increases. Fertilizer companies blame natural gas cost spikes and production shutdowns because of Hurricane Ida. But Attorney General Tom Miller says he wants to know if these justify the jump in prices.
Miller says that it’s not an investigation, but he has written letters to the CEO’s of the top fertilizer companies trying to find an answer.
Meanwhile farmers who are in need of chemicals are seeing an increase in prices and an extreme shortage in supply. Randy Broesder of the Farmers Coop in Forest City stated that orders need to be made right now.
Products such Liberty are in extremely short supply and Broesder says that if it was ordered today, it probably would not get here in time so farmers may have to change their programs this year.
Either way, farmers are strongly encouraged to place chemical orders now.
