Fertilizer experts tell First Alert 4 they’re concerned about tariff impacts to farms nationwide

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - A national organization is working with Congress and the White House to address tariff concerns that could have a wide impact on farms -- through fertilizer.

The Fertilizer Institute said the now-delayed tariff on Canadian imports could have a very serious impact on fertilizer in the U.S. They’ve been in continual talks with the White House about the subtle details of fertilizer, potash and Canadian exports.

The president of TFI, Corey Rosenbusch, tells First Alert 4 that many of the most important pieces of fertilizer production are naturally found in Canada.

The Institute says that ensuring stable and affordable access to fertilizers is critical to keep U.S. agriculture competitive, keeping rural economies strong and helping to keep groceries affordable.

“The U.S. relies on imports for over 95% of its potash fertilizer needs, with nearly 90% of that coming from Canada,” TFI says. “Canada also supplies U.S. growers with over 8% of our nitrogen fertilizer needs, ing for 25% of U.S. nitrogen fertilizer imports.”

The Canadian Government says that as of 2023, almost half of all their produced potash was exported to the United States.

With the 30-day interim on the Canadian tariffs, TFI tells First Alert 4 their member industries have a chance to brace for potential impacts for tariffs, obtain more supply and plan for the future -- including concerns about availability for farmers who plant crop in the fall.

He says the TFI is ready to collaborate with the istration to spur growth in the industry and in ing American agriculture.

“However, given their effects on the broader farm economy, TFI urges the Trump istration to exempt Canadian potash and other fertilizers from the tariff order, especially as we approach the critical time of spring planting where nutrient delivery and application are essential for the harvests that fill American’s dinner tables with abundant and affordable food,” TFI says.

USGS, a leading government organization focused on science and geography, says that the substance is mined world-wide and is an “essential nutrient for food crops.”

Rosenbusch says this is a unique situation, because the potash taken out of the ground is practically speaking -- the final product. It is mined, refined and then shipped and used. As a result, as opposed to vehicle production, there is not a way to create the product in the U.S.

He says the talks with the Trump White House have been good. He mentioned that China is a global leader of producing multiple types of fertilizer and choices made by that government, or ours in the United States, impact the global fertilizer economy.

The USGS mentions that some of the most important deposits are in Canada, Belarus, Russia and .

One of the main concerns of TFI is potash, which is a potassium inclusive mineral, is important to some fertilizer production.

Rosenbusch says the U.S. only represents 10% of fertilizer total consumption in the world.

“Canada is the largest producer of potash (9.5 million metric tons K2O equivalent in 2010), followed by Russia, Belarus, China, , Israel, and Jordon (fig. 1-1; Jasinski, 2011b),” a USGS report of global potash deposits states. “All of these countries produced at least 1 million metric tons of K2O equivalent in 2010, whereas production from other countries was less than 1 million metric tons each.”

The Government of Canada says it is the largest producer and exporter of potash -- with the largest reserves on earth -- roughly 1.1 billion tons of some specific chemical compositions.

“While the U.S. produced roughly 400,000 metric tons of potash in 2023, domestic potash consumption that year was approximately 5.3 million metric tons,” TFI says. “No substitutes exist for potash as an essential plant nutrient.”

The demand for potash is driven mostly by food and biofuel production needs, and the growing global population has increased demand from needs in the early 200s, according to U.S. government experts.

Canadian records indicate they produced over 21,000 “tonnes” of potash in 2023. That same year, the average price was at roughly $328 American dollars per “tonne,” down from surges in 2022 following the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

While there are noted deposits in the United States, mostly in the Western states, the deposits are not as strong as in Canada, South America, Russia and Europe.

“Potash deposits are not rare, although most identified by this study are smaller or lower grade than the Saskatchewan deposits that have provided 20 percent or more of the world’s potash supply for almost 40 years (Garrett, 1996; Harben, 2002; Jasinski, 2012),” USGS records show.

“U.S. agriculture is benefited by a strong trade relationship with Canada that provides farmers with reliable access to essential crop nutrients,” TFI said in a statement. “An open, fair, predictable, and transparent trading environment is vital to the continued growth of a resilient, competitive, and sustainable fertilizer industry for our farmer customers.”

Canada claims they produce over 30% of the world’s potash, and the U.S. is not even listed on the Canadian documents on the top five potash producing nations.

“TFI recognizes that today’s announcement is tied back to larger policy goals, and we remain committed to working closely with the istration across several key areas,” TFI says. “As a related point, including both phosphate and potash on the U.S. Geological Survey’s List of Critical Minerals would be a decisive step in bolstering domestic supplies of fertilizer for U.S. growers.”

This story is a product of the Mississippi River Basin Ag & Water Desk, an independent reporting network based at the University of Missouri in partnership with Report for America, with major funding from the Walton Family Foundation. The Nature Conservancy and American Rivers also receive Walton funding.

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