Senate eyes June farm bill markup after fertilizer hearing as Klobuchar pushes price transparency measures

The Senate Agriculture Committee is preparing to advance its version of the 2026 Farm Bill in June following a recent hearing focused on fertilizer prices, a development that could have significant implications for U.S. farmers and the agricultural input sector.

Committee Chairman John Boozman said he intends to release legislative text in early June and hold a committee markup later in the month. The announcement followed a May 12 hearing examining fertilizer market conditions and supply challenges facing American producers. The hearing, titled “Perspectives on the Fertilizer Industry: Ensuring a Stable and Affordable Supply for American Producers,” was the Senate’s first dedicated fertilizer hearing in several years and came as urea prices remain substantially above year-earlier levels and farm financial stress has intensified.

The Senate’s approach is expected to closely track the House-passed Farm, Food, and National Security Act of 2026, which cleared the chamber on April 30 by a 224-200 vote. However, Senate leaders face a higher hurdle, as the legislation will require at least 60 votes to overcome a filibuster, necessitating bipartisan support. Boozman said the Senate version would likely include only targeted changes designed to build broader agreement.

Ranking Member Amy Klobuchar said she plans to work with Boozman on a bipartisan package and is advocating for the inclusion of fertilizer-related measures she has introduced alongside Sens. John Thune and Roger Marshall. The proposals would increase fertilizer price transparency and establish grant programs aimed at expanding domestic fertilizer production capacity. Klobuchar has also emphasized changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding provisions as a priority in broader farm bill negotiations.

For the fertilizer industry, the Senate timetable is closely watched because the legislation could influence both farm purchasing power and fertilizer market oversight. Expanded crop insurance support, higher payment limits, and assistance for financially distressed producers could help farmers manage elevated input costs, while fertilizer transparency provisions could introduce new reporting requirements for companies operating in the nitrogen supply chain.

The Senate is scheduled to return to Washington on June 1 after the Memorial Day recess, with committee markup expected to be the next major milestone in the farm bill process.

Source: The Fence Post / DTN