Sen. Moran Applauds Temporary Suspension of Duties on Moroccan Phosphate

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today released the following statement regarding the executive order issued by the White House this week temporarily suspending duties on phosphate fertilizer imported from Morocco: “The administration’s action to temporarily suspend import duties on phosphate fertilizer from Morocco is welcome news for the Kansas agricultural community. Farmers continue to struggle with stubbornly high input prices and market volatility. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has limited global fertilizer and the availability of fertilizer ingredients, which has only compounded the issue. As the U.S. is a net importer of fertilizer, I have long advocated for the needs of the agriculture industry to be considered in discussions of imposing tariffs on inputs, and I’m pleased that the Trump administration has taken this action to support American agriculture.” Items to note: In April, Sen. Moran questioned U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on the impact of import tariffs on fertilizer components, including those from Morocco, on American producers. Also in April, Sen. Moran asked U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about the impact of tariffs on imports related to U.S. agriculture. In 2023, Sen. Moran called on then-Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo to reduce duties on phosphate fertilizers from Morocco. He was joined by Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) and Reps. Tracey Mann (R-KS-01) and Jim Costa (D-CA-21), along with 35 of their colleagues. Sen. Moran led his colleagues in 2020 and again in 2021 in calling on the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) to oppose tariffs on imported phosphate fertilizer and make certain Kansas farmers have access to affordable fertilizer for their crops. # # #