The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is optimistic President Trump’s executive order recognizing potash as a critical mineral could help increase access to the product.
Vice President of Government Affairs Ed Thomas says the goal is to spur domestic production.
“It will open up permitting reform to eliminate some of the hurdles around getting expansion of some of the mines here in the U.S.,” he says.
According to Thomas, the U.S. currently relies heavily on imports for its potash supply.
“We only produce about 0.2% of the potash here in the United States. If other countries advertently or inadvertently decided to interrupt supply chains, we could be in big trouble as far as producing food for our own country.”
Thomas says the EO sends a strong message to the U.S. Geological Survey to include it to the critical minerals list. “It was put on in 2018 and it was taken off in 2022,” he says. “They need to put that mineral back on the list so that it becomes part of the policy considerations as we move forward.”
Thomas says the next step is to have phosphate added to the critical minerals list.
EDITOR’S TAKE:
Although this is not a complete answer to our domestic fertilizer needs, it is a step in the right direction. A great deal of our potash supplies comes from mines in Canada. Canada has targeted the export of this critical mineral for duties or tariffs when destined for the U.S. No one wants a trade war with our close ally to the north, but President Trump is merely aiming to have “fair trade”, where one country treats the other with equal access to markets. The most difficult part of the journey is what happens in the interim. TFI has members from both countries, so if they applaud this move it is not without careful consideration.
By the way, remember you have an AgPack® partner, AgroLiquid, who offers discounts on fertilizer when farmers/ranchers purchase or lease that new or qualified used vehicle from a CAD member. So, be sure to mention this in your social media or other advertising to the farmers/ranchers in your area!
