USDA announced awards totaling $52.6 million under the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP), aimed at boosting domestic fertilizer manufacturing, advancing innovative fertilizer technologies, and reducing costs for farmers. Seventeen new projects will receive funding from a $900 million grant program created to expand U.S. fertilizer production in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Through two rounds of awards, $121 million has been granted to 33 projects to begin or expand independent and innovative domestic production of fertilizer. More awards are expected in coming months, said the USDA. The maximum grant is $100 million.
Additionally, USDA is facilitating double cropping practices by expanding insurance coverage in approximately 1,500 counties where double cropping is feasible. This initiative aims to enhance food production and lower costs for American families, with significant increases in insured acres for second crops like grain sorghum and soybeans.
