Farm Security Is National Security: Trump's USDA Just Picked Eight Projects to Make More American Fertilizer
On Oct. 22, USDA selected eight fertilizer manufacturing projects worth more than $1.34 billion, including about $573 million in proposed federal funding, under its FIELDS program. In our view, it is a smart bet on American farmers, and success should be measured in tons produced and prices paid at the co-op.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 23, 2026 | 6-min read Every spring, American farmers make a bet before a single seed goes in the ground, and fertilizer is one of the biggest chips on the table. For years they have placed that bet in a market with few sellers and too much reliance on foreign supply. On Thursday, President Trump's Agriculture Department moved to change the odds. It selected eight fertilizer manufacturing projects worth more than $1.34 billion in total proposed investment, including about $573 million in proposed USDA funding [1]. In our view, this is how you rebuild a critical industry: with private money on the line and real tons promised. Key Takeaways USDA selected eight projects under its Fertilizer Investment & Expansion for Long-Term Domestic Supply (FIELDS) program, totaling more than $1.34 billion in proposed investment [1]. About $573 million would come from proposed USDA funding; the balance is the projects' other proposed investment [1]. The projects are expected to support about 1.08 million tons of annual domestic fertilizer production and capacity [1]. USDA estimates the