USDA launches $500 million program to expand US fertilizer production

Investing.com -- The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Wednesday the launch of a $500 million program aimed at expanding domestic fertilizer manufacturing and strengthening the nation's fertilizer supply chain.

The Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program will be administered through USDA Rural Development using Commodity Credit Corporation authorities. The initiative will provide funding to support construction and expansion of domestic fertilizer production facilities.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins said the program aims to reduce American farmers' reliance on foreign fertilizer suppliers. The USDA will make individual awards ranging from $15 million to $150 million, prioritizing projects that are shovel-ready and financially viable.

The program will support projects that expand domestic production of nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulfur, and other crop nutrients. USDA Rural Development's Rural Business-Cooperative Service will administer the program.

The FIELDS Program follows USDA's review of more than 120 fertilizer projects from the previous administration. The department worked with project developers, lenders, farmers, and federal partners to identify barriers to construction and financing.

The program is part of a broader administration fertilizer strategy. Recent actions include suspending countervailing duties on phosphate fertilizer imports, designating phosphate and potash as Critical Minerals, and establishing a USDA-Department of Justice agreement to address anti-competitive practices in agricultural input markets.

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin and Energy Secretary Chris Wright expressed support for the initiative in the announcement.

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