To help mitigate increasing prices for fertilizer, $500 million in grants will be made available to support domestic fertilizer production. Funding for the initiative is being made possible through the Commodity Credit Corporation. The grants will support more independent, innovative, and sustainable fertilizer production in the U.S. to supply American farmers. Grant awards will range between $1 million and $100 million and will have a five-year term. The funding will also help to expand U.S. manufacturing and processing of fertilizer and nutrient alternatives.
“Under the leadership of President Biden and Vice President Harris, USDA is creating a resilient, secure and sustainable economy, and this support to provide domestic, independent choices for fertilizer supplies is part of that effort,” U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a news release. “USDA believes in the growth of innovative, local businesses owned and shared by people who can best serve their own unique community’s needs, fill gaps, and build opportunities. Recent supply chain disruptions have shown just how critical it is to invest in the agricultural supply chain here at home. The Fertilizer Production Expansion Program is one example of many Biden-Harris Administration initiatives to bring production and jobs back to the United States, promote competition and support American goods and services.”
Grants will increase fertilizer produced by companies operating in the U.S. to lower the reliance on unreliable foreign supplies. Eligibility for the grant funding includes for‐profit businesses and corporations, nonprofit entities, producer‐owned cooperatives and corporations, and state or local governments. As a central focus is to increase competition, private entities must be independently owned and operated to apply.
USDA will be hosting two informational webinars to assist potential applicants in learning more about the program. The webinars are scheduled for Tuesday, October 4, and Thursday, October 6. Each of the webinars will go over program specifics and application requirements. Pre-registration is required. USDA will be accepting applications through two windows of opportunity for submission.
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