The Trump administration is moving to expand domestic fertilizer production and reduce U.S. dependence on foreign suppliers. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said USDA is restructuring fertilizer expansion projects inherited from the previous administration after finding major delays and management issues. “Of the 121 projects identified in the last administration, only eight were moved to completion,” Rollins said. “There were 90 projects lacking agreements, seven marked unsatisfactory totaling $70 million, and in many cases, there was zero contact information recorded for the awardees.” Rollins said USDA has now contacted every project recipient and is working to accelerate fertilizer expansion efforts already underway. USDA is also launching a search for a full-time agricultural input economist focused specifically on fertilizer and farm input costs.
