NCGA Report Finds U.S. Farmers Pay 68% More for Corn Seed Than Brazil

American farmers pay considerably more for agricultural inputs than their Brazilian counterparts, according to a new study released by the National Corn Growers Association.

The report, conducted by Kynetec in partnership with the NCGA, compares costs for seeds, fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides across corn and soybeans. The analysis covers the period from 2023 to 2025 and uses purchasing power parity to isolate market differences from currency effects. Prices are measured in U.S. dollars per unit, with taxes excluded from the calculations.

The price gaps are most pronounced in corn seed, where U.S. averages exceeded Brazilian levels by 68% over the three-year span. Even when comparing specific trait packages, American prices remained 63% higher than Brazilian summer corn seed and 74% higher than winter corn seed. Soybean seed showed a smaller but consistent disparity, with U.S. prices averaging a 24% premium. This gap persists despite Brazilian varieties often including both herbicide and insect resistance, while U.S. growers frequently purchase herbicide-only options.

Fungicide and herbicide costs also differ markedly. In some categories, U.S. fungicide prices were more than double those in Brazil. The study attributes this partly to market structure, noting that global research and development manufacturers hold roughly three-quarters of the U.S. fungicide market, compared to less than half in Brazil. U.S. growers also rely more heavily on multi-molecule formulations, which carry higher costs. Herbicide prices in the U.S. were often near double Brazilian levels, with glyphosate, a widely used ingredient, costing American farmers about 35% more in 2025.

Insecticide costs favor Brazil as well, though to a varying degree. U.S. corn insecticide prices averaged 87% higher than Brazilian prices, while soybean insecticide gaps averaged 31%. The study notes that local manufacturers dominate the insecticide market in both countries. However, Brazil uses a higher share of lower-cost molecules, accounting for roughly 60% of corn insecticide treatments, whereas U.S. growers often use more expensive premixes or different active ingredients.

Matt Frostic, president of the NCGA and chair of the Inputs Task Force, stated that the findings confirm long-held beliefs about cost disparities. He described the pricing situation as worse than many farmers suspected and warned that continued premiums could force input providers to drive their own customers out of business. Krista Swanson, the NCGA chief economist, added that rising input costs have created intense pressure on corn farmers, who are on track to lose money for a fourth consecutive year.

The NCGA is calling for increased transparency from input providers and is pursuing legislative reform to the countervailing duty process. The association argues that public interests must be considered before duties are imposed on agricultural products. It also cites trade barriers, such as Brazilian tariffs on U.S. ethanol, as a factor in global competitiveness. The study data was derived from FarmTrak and sigma Seed farmer panels, providing a comparative baseline for input costs across the two nations.