Food Security & Affordability Initiative

1. The FTC’s investigation into fertilizer pricing is looking at the wrong problem. Fertilizer prices—and broader food affordability challenges—are being driven by global supply shocks, geopolitical instability and the disruption of critical trade routes. agweb.com/news/policy/po…

Trump is on the ground in Beijing and the stakes could not be higher for American families. Remember, China deliberately withheld 40 million metric tons of fertilizer from global markets. Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz spiked Corn Belt nitrogen costs 40% overnight. Trump is pressing Xi on trade and Iran because peace through strength IS the grocery bill. townhall.com/columnists/ste…

President Trump is fighting to bring down costs for American families, but foreign adversaries are making that very hard Iran’s disruption of the Strait of Hormuz, China weaponizing fertilizer exports, and the Russia/Ukraine conflict are all adding to rising food prices This isn’t a domestic production problem. It’s geopolitical economic warfare Peace through strength isn’t just foreign policy, it’s affordability policy @SecRollins and the Trump team are taking action, but restoring stability abroad is critical to protecting the American grocery bill

Trump is delivering on affordability w $10B in farm relief, fertilizer access, & laser focus on bringing down prices. Iran shut Hormuz. Nitrogen is up 40%. China withholding 40M tons of fertilizer. Russia ammonia exports down 80%. WH is doing an admirable job preventing adversaries from undermining us. @SecRollins

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THINGS TO KNOW — Ahead of President Trump’s visit with Chinese President Xi: Geopolitical conflicts surrounding Iran, China, Russia and Ukraine are holding American grocery budgets hostage. While POTUS delivers at home, foreign bad actors are working overtime to make him fail. BACKGROUND ON IRAN + HOW IT AFFECTS FARMERS — Iran shut down the Strait of Hormuz, the world's most critical fertilizer route. Approximately 30% of global fertilizer trade moves through it alongside massive volumes of oil and LNG. The result: nitrogen costs in the Corn Belt spiked 25–40% almost overnight. That's economic warfare. BACKGROUND ON CHINA + HOW THEY ARE ALSO IMPACTING FERTILIZER, FARMERS — China withheld up to 40 million metric tons of fertilizer from global markets through deliberate export restrictions. Beijing is weaponizing the global food supply to do it. WHERE DO RUSSIA AND UKRAINE COME INTO PLAY? — Russia's ammonia exports are 80% below pre-war levels. Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian fertilizer infrastructure are compounding the shortage. Every missed fertilizer application this planting season means lower yields at harvest and higher prices at the grocery store. HOW IS POTUS HELPING AMERICAN FARMERS + IMPROVING AFFORDABILITY? — POTUS and Secretary Rollins are getting it right domestically. Nearly $10 billion in farmer relief, expanded fertilizer access, and a clear-eyed focus on affordability. Now Trump's geopolitical leverage is the final piece. Peace through strength is critical to delivering on food affordability.

Iran won’t cooperate on the Strait of Hormuz: the world's most critical fertilizer route. Approximately 30% of global fertilizer trade moves through it alongside massive volumes of oil and LNG. The result: nitrogen costs in the Corn Belt spiked 25–40% almost overnight. This is economic warfare. @JohnBoozman @amyklobuchar @SecRollins @SecretaryWright @howardlutnick @SecretaryBurgum

I wrote about global conflicts are reshaping what food costs — and the answer isn't in the grocery aisle. It's in the Strait of Hormuz, the wheat fields of the Great Plains, and fertilizer markets squeezed by war and export controls.   The Senate Ag Committee takes this up Monday. Worth paying attention to.   @SenateAgGOP @SenateAgDems @USDA @howardlutnick @CommerceGov @SecretaryBurgum @Interior @USTradeRep

American producers are not to blame! Important perspective given here...

Sulfur is essential to fertilizers that grow America's food. Wars have created a worldwide shortage. Now China is buying up American-made sulfur and keeping it for themselves. American raw materials. Chinese benefit. That's a food security risk. Read more in Forbes. forbes.com/sites/daneberh…

America feeds the world. But first, it must feed itself. That takes farmers AND homegrown fuel, fertilizer, and feed. We shouldn't rely on foreign adversaries for our food security. Protect America's producers. Preserve America's food supply.