Significant federal dollars are going toward fertilizer as grants are being awarded through USDA’s Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program (FPAP). According to USDA, the grants are intended to boost domestic fertilizer production, strengthen competition and lower costs for U.S. farmers.
“The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA are committed to bolstering the economy and increasing competition for our nation’s farmers, ranchers and small business owners,” said USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack. “The investments, made possible through the Commodity Credit Corporation, will increase domestic fertilizer production and strengthen our supply chain, all while creating good-paying jobs that will benefit everyone.”
Hear from The Fertilizer Institute on import dependency.
The program, which accepted applications from independent business owners during 2022, is spreading $83 million across 12 states:
- California
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Iowa
- Illinois
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Minnesota
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Oregon
- Washington
FPAP funds may be used toward projects that will expand fertilizer manufacturing and increase its availability in the U.S. This could include modernizing equipment, recruiting employees, adopting new technology, building infrastructure, etc.
Some of the projects the funding will be used for include:
- Building a food waste upcycling facility in California.
- Building a Florida manufacturing facility that will provide domestic fertilizer to more than 200 independent retailers in the southeastern U.S.
- Expanding an Iowa facility through improving its existing infrastructure and purchasing equipment for manufacturing and transporting materials.
Since the program’s inception, USDA has invested $251 million in 57 projects across 29 states through FPEP.
