Trump Official’s Past Lobbying for Fertilizer Tariffs Worsens Current Supply Crisis

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has triggered a sharp spike in fertilizer prices, leaving a majority of American farmers struggling to secure their annual supply. President Donald Trump has publicly stated he is "watching fertilizer prices" closely to prevent price gouging. However, an investigation reveals that his top trade official, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, previously lobbied for policies that restricted fertilizer imports and increased costs for farmers.

Before joining the Trump administration in 2023, Greer represented the J.R. Simplot Company in efforts to impose higher tariffs on imported fertilizers. Despite opposition from agricultural groups warning of price hikes and potential shortages, Greer successfully advocated for these measures during the first Trump administration. His role in this process is documented in public records, including his testimony before the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and his representation of Simplot in legal challenges to the tariffs.

Greer’s financial disclosure report, submitted during his nomination process, highlighted his contributions to these tariffs. It stated:

"Greer led the J. R. Simplot Company's successful participation in countervailing duty investigations of phosphate fertilizers from Russia and Morocco."

The current fertilizer shortage has reached critical levels, with Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins describing it as an "overarching economic pending disaster." A recent Farm Bureau survey found that 70% of American farmers cannot purchase the fertilizer they need for this year. While the closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical chokepoint for global fertilizer trade—exacerbates the crisis, the long-term impact of Greer’s past lobbying efforts has compounded the problem.

The push for higher tariffs began in 2017, with two dominant U.S. fertilizer companies, Simplot and Mosaic Co., spearheading the effort. Mosaic alone spent over $800,000 annually on lobbying from 2017 to 2023. Records show that Susie Wiles, now the White House chief of staff, lobbied on Mosaic’s behalf during this period.

In March 2021, the ITC ruled that imports of fertilizer from Morocco and Russia had "materially injured" American companies, imposing tariffs ranging from 16% to 47%. Just a month before this decision, Greer testified at an ITC hearing on behalf of Simplot, arguing that imported fertilizer had caused a "steep decline in prices" that harmed Simplot’s "sales revenues and operating income." When questioned about the potential consequences of these tariffs, including the risk of shortages, Greer did not provide a detailed response.