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NCGA calls for input price transparency as U.S. farmers pay more than Brazil

New analysis by the National Corn Growers Association finds U.S. farmers are paying significantly more for inputs than their Brazilian counterparts.

Economist Krista Swanson tells Brownfield the results bring to light the need for increased transparency from input suppliers.

“What we really want to know is where are those price differences reflecting actual differences in real value in the product and where are there unnecessary costs being added in?” she shares.

NCGA first vice president and Michigan farmer Matt Frostic says not only are farmers paying more, but agri-businesses are leaning into trade laws to consolidate their market share.

“If this trend continues, input providers will force their own customers out of business,” he says. “We’re calling for increased transparency from input providers and for pricing to reflect the realities of the current economic environment.”

He says without interventions across input providers and in Congress, there could be dramatic changes across the industry.

“There’s a margin that we have in agriculture, and it’s gotten to the point that on the family farm, the inputs have ate up that margin, and we have very little money to reinvest or just to stay alive,” he explains. “We know there’s going to be years like that from time to time, but we’re in an extended period of four to five years now.”

The report conducted by Kynetec found from 2023 to 2025, U.S. prices for corn seed were nearly 70 percent higher, corn insecticide prices were nearly 90 percent higher, and herbicide costs were nearly double those in Brazil.

NCGA says American farmers face a competitive disadvantage to Brazil because of higher input costs, and is also urging policymakers to address Brazilian tariffs and trade barriers on U.S. ethanol.