WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD-TV) — The Department of the Interior expanded the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) 2025 List of Critical Minerals to 60 minerals deemed critical to national security — adding 10 new items — including potash and phosphorus, which are key ingredients needed to make fertilizer.
These two additions in particular are seen as a win for the fertilizer industry and agriculture as a whole, and provide producers with an extra layer of risk protection now that the inputs have been recognized as critical to both crop production and domestic food security.
Farm groups petitioned USGS for the addition of both minerals — potash, which has the most volatile supply chain, was listed as a critical mineral in 2018 but omitted from subsequent updates — but warned that omitting phosphates would be a big mistake. They also argued that fertilizer and herbicide supplies are too vulnerable to foreign disruptions and price fluctuations, citing China’s export bans and hurricane-related shortages.
Host of RealAg Radio, Shaun Haney, joined us on Friday’s Market Day Report to discuss the move and what it could mean for agriculture and trade. In his interview with RFD-TV News, Haney shared insights on what the designation signals about how Washington now views food and fertilizer security, how it could impact trade and investment between the U.S. and Canada, and whether it might help stabilize fertilizer costs or primarily shape long-term policy.
Industry groups like the Fertilizer Institute are praising the move. CEO Corey Rosenbush issued a statement that reads in part:
Rosenbusch said trade adversaries like China and Russia make up more than half of global phosphate production, and the United States imports about 97 percent of its potash supply.
The National Association of Manufacturers also released a statement on X:
Fertilizer consumption in the United States has fallen by nearly 10 percent each year since 2021, according to new data from the USDA’s Economic Research Service (ERS). Due to these constraints, farmers have made do with as little as possible, simply buying less. However, sustainable farming practices, like contract grazing, can also increase the need for soil amendments.
Congress is currently looking into competition issues within the fertilizer market as prices continue to rise for the critical farm input, stressing row crop farmers who are already facing tight margins.
“Fertilizer is one of the ag industry’s biggest inputs, and family farmers across the nation are severely hurting right now due to its high cost,” said Sen. Grassley R-IA), who sits on the Senate Agriculture Committee, along with bill co-sponsor, Sen. Ernst.
Grassley, along with Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA), recently reintroduced The Fertilizer Act, bipartisan legislation aimed at addressing the soaring cost of fertilizer —one of the most significant expenses for U.S. farmers.
