TFI hails US Senators’ push to label phosphate, potash as critical minerals

The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) on Thursday praised the US Senate for introducing bipartisan legislation to include phosphate and potash on the Interior Department’s final list of critical minerals.

TFI said that the legislation – which was Introduced by Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Thom Tills (R-NC), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), and Rick Scott (R-FL) – will recognize the importance of ensuring a strong and sustainable domestic fertilizer supply for American farmers.

“The majority of the world’s phosphate and potash resources are concentrated in only a few countries, leaving them open to supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical instability. The events of the past few years have shown us that food security is national security and now is the time to change how we talk about these vital resources,” TFI’s president and CEO, Corey Rosenbusch, commented.

“It is vital that we, as a country, take proactive steps to secure our own agricultural future by recognizing the role these minerals play in putting food on our tables. Without these two minerals, modern agricultural systems would crumble and the ability to feed our growing population would be nearly impossible,” Mr. Rosenbusch added.

TFI noted that the US imports 95% of its potash, mostly from Canada. It pointed out that Belarus and Russia account for 40% of global potash production, while China accounts for 40% of global phosphate production.

Although the US produces both phosphate and potash, expanding mines and opening new ones is a costly and time-consuming process. TFI said that adding these crop nutrients to the critical minerals list would mean that a single government agency would be tasked with conducting environmental reviews of new projects, which would serve to streamline any such initiatives.