WASHINGTON, D.C. (RFD News) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is launching a new program aimed at expanding domestic fertilizer production as the agency works to address high input costs for farmers.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the Fertilizer Expansion and Large-Scale Domestic Supply (FIELDS) program during a news conference updating the administration’s efforts to address fertilizer costs.
The program will make $500 million available through USDA Rural Development to fast-track projects that produce fertilizer in the United States. Applications will remain open for 45 days.
Rollins says fertilizer costs rose 55 percent during the Biden administration and, while prices have started to ease, they remain elevated. She says the goal of the FIELDS program is to strengthen U.S. fertilizer production.
