Lawmakers, Farm Groups Push For Answers On Rising Input Costs
Brownfield
Input prices remain at record highs, and there are questions in the ag industry about what’s causing it.
Nebraska Farm Bureau President Mark McHargue says he’s not accusing companies of any wrongdoing, but, “There’s a lot of conversations and speculation of potential price manipulation or some of those types of things. I do think we need to look into that.”
Some Republican U.S. House members have asked the Trump administration to examine a list of regulations that could be limiting competition. In a letter to USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Attorney General Pam Bondi, they said that government regulation is critical to improving competition and limiting consolidation.
McHargue tells Brownfield there could be several causes, but producers need immediate relief. “I’m not saying there is nefarious things going on, but we’ve seen such a rise in cost. Some of those things are tariff related. We need to acknowledge that, but at the same time, as things have settled out, those things have not come back down.”
He said removing some tariffs could help lower costs for things like fertilizer and steel for parts. McHargue says the U.S. also needs to look beyond China for other supplies.
In September of 2025, the USDA and DOJ signed a memorandum of understanding that the agencies would look into competition and antitrust enforcement issues in the marketplace.