Study: U.S. producers pay more for inputs than Brazil producers

The National Corn Growers Association says a new study confirms what many farmers have suspected for years: U.S. producers are paying far more for crop inputs than their biggest global competitor, Brazil. The report found American corn farmers paid an average of 68 percent more for seed from 2023 through 2025. Herbicide prices were often nearly double those paid by Brazilian farmers, while insecticide costs averaged 87 percent higher. Some fungicides also cost more than twice as much in the U.S. “I think there has long been a belief among U.S. farmers that we pay more for the same products compared to our international counterparts,” said NCGA First Vice President Matt Frostic. “This work confirms our fears. We are paying substantially more for our inputs.” NCGA says the higher costs hurt U.S. competitiveness as corn farmers face a fourth-straight year of projected financial losses. The group is calling for pricing transparency and policy reforms.