A second class-action lawsuit has been filed against the five largest nitrogen and phosphate fertilizer producers - Mosaic, Nutrien, CF Industries, Koch Fertilizer and Yara - accusing them of coordinating production cuts to inflate prices, compounding legal pressure from a parallel federal antitrust investigation.
The suit, filed in federal court by farm plaintiffs in Iowa and New York represented by DiCello Levitt, mirrors a first class action filed in March 2026. Both lawsuits allege that the producers conspired to discipline capacity from 2021 onward, citing public statements about supply management and the sustained post-2021 price spike as evidence of coordination.
The lawsuits run alongside a U.S. Department of Justice antitrust probe into fertilizer pricing disclosed in March 2026. The DOJ investigation covers the same producers and the same alleged conduct, meaning executives and companies face simultaneous civil and potential criminal exposure.
Fertilizer prices rose sharply from 2021 through 2022, and while they retreated from peak levels, they remain elevated in 2026 as the Strait of Hormuz closure has tightened nitrogen supply further. The plaintiffs argue that the initial price run-up was not solely the product of market forces.
The companies named have not publicly commented on the second lawsuit. All deny wrongdoing in connection with the DOJ probe, which remains ongoing.
