USDA makes $500M available for fertilizer investment and expansion program

(WAND) - The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that Rural Development is accepting applications for the Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) Program.

The program will provide farmers with more access to domestic fertilizer for producing agricultural commodities.

The Commodity Credit Corporation is using the USDA Rural Business-Cooperative Service to make funding available through FIELDS, with $500 million in awards.

That money can be used for domestic production capacity, promote competition, to strengthen supply chain resilience, and increase fertilizer availability for farmers in support of agricultural productivity and producing agricultural commodities.

Eligible applicants include Tribes, Tribal entities, Alaska native corporations, for-profit entities, corporations, non-profit entities, producer-owned cooperatives and corporations, certified benefit corporations, and state or local government entities. Private entities must be independently owned and operated.

Projects funded through FIELDS may can include expansions or upgrades of existing facilities, construction of new domestic production facilities, shovel-ready projects capable of rapidly increasing domestic supply, and on-site fertilizer terminals and transportation infrastructure that improve supply chain efficiency. The process of manufacturing fertilizer must be:

Independent and outside the dominant fertilizer suppliers;
Made in America;
Innovative;
Energy dominant and secure;
Farmer focused.

Priority will be given to projects in the later stages of development, technically feasible, financially viable, and have already identified other sources of funds.

Competitive, cost-share awards of $15 million up to $150 million are available to eligible entities to expand capacity, improve competition, and increase supply chain resilience within the agricultural fertilizer sector, in connection with the production of agricultural commodities. Matching funds are required.

Electronic applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. on August 17, 2026. Details on eligibility and requirements are available on Grants.gov or by visiting https://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services/business-progr.ams/fertilizer-investment-expansion-long-term-domestic-supply.