USDA Opens Applications for $500 Million Fertilizer Program
The U.S. Department of Agriculture has opened applications for up to $500 million to expand independent domestic fertilizer production and improve fertilizer availability for farmers across the United States.
The funding is available through the Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-term Domestic Supply, or FIELDS, Program. USDA announced the program on July 8, 2026, while the application period began July 1. Electronic applications must be submitted through Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. on Aug. 17, 2026.
The program is intended to increase the number of domestic fertilizer options available to farmers and strengthen agricultural supply chains. Fertilizer is a major farm input, so projects that expand production or improve the movement of fertilizer could affect supply resilience, transportation costs and producers’ access to supplies.
What the funding can support
USDA says eligible projects may include the construction of new fertilizer facilities, expansions or upgrades to existing plants, and projects that are ready to begin construction. The opportunity also covers fertilizer terminals and transportation infrastructure connected to fertilizer supply.
That range allows applicants to seek support for several parts of the fertilizer system rather than for manufacturing capacity alone. A proposal could involve a new facility, an improvement at an existing plant, a terminal used to handle fertilizer or infrastructure intended to help move fertilizer through the domestic supply chain.
The program is focused on independent domestic fertilizer production capacity. USDA describes the funding as support for projects that expand or bring into operation that capacity, with the broader goal of providing farmers with additional domestic sources and strengthening the agricultural supply chain.
Who can apply and how
Eligible applicants include independent fertilizer producers, corporations, and state or local government entities, provided they meet the program’s requirements. The application opportunity therefore extends beyond producers that already operate fertilizer plants and includes public entities and other companies proposing qualifying projects.
Applicants must file electronically through Grants.gov. The submission window runs from July 1 through Aug. 17, with the deadline set at 11:59 p.m. on the final day. That date is the next stated federal action for companies and public entities seeking money for construction, expansion, upgrades, terminals or transportation projects.
USDA’s Rural Business-Cooperative Service is administering the funding opportunity using money from the Commodity Credit Corporation. The Rural Business-Cooperative Service is part of USDA Rural Development, which publishes the program information and application requirements.
What is known about awards
The announcement establishes the available funding and the application process, not the projects that will ultimately receive support. USDA has not announced the selected projects, recipients or the amount each applicant may receive.
The public program description also does not quantify how much additional fertilizer capacity could result or specify an expected change in fertilizer prices. Those outcomes will depend on the proposals submitted and any projects selected under the program.
For farmers, the immediate development is the opening of a federal funding opportunity aimed at domestic fertilizer production and related infrastructure. For potential applicants, the immediate requirement is to prepare and submit an eligible electronic application before the Aug. 17 deadline.
Sources
- Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-term Domestic Supply, USDA Rural Development
- USDA Makes $500 Million Available for Fertilizer Investment and Expansion Program, USDA Rural Development
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