USDA invests in fertilizer and water quality advancements

In a bid to boost domestic fertilizer production and address water quality issues, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has unveiled two significant funding initiatives.

Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a $35 million allocation for the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) during the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa. The FPEP will support seven projects across seven states, aimed at modernizing fertilizer production facilities, adopting new technologies, and expanding production capacity. The program, funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation, is designed to reduce reliance on foreign fertilizer and enhance domestic production.

The new investments include:

• Quality Flow Environmental LLC in Maquoketa, Iowa, will receive nearly $5 million to build a thermochemical manufacturing facility. This plant will produce a high-quality fertilizer from dairy waste, with an annual output of 540,66 tons of solid carbon-ready product.
• Dramm Corp. in Wisconsin will use a $776,000 grant to expand its liquid fish fertilizer production, which utilizes fish waste and aims to reduce landfill waste and support organic farming.
• AdvanSix in Virginia will receive almost $12 million to expand its ammonium sulfate production, increasing capacity by 195,000 tons per year and supporting 36,000 producers on the East Coast and in the Midwest.

The USDA has invested $286.6 million in 64 projects through FPEP to date, which is expected to increase domestic fertilizer production by over 5.6 million tons.

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In addition, USDA has awarded a $650,000 grant to Penn State University for a new project focusing on nitrate contamination in agricultural watersheds. The four-year grant will support the development of an AI-powered database to enhance water quality monitoring. This project will use deep learning and high-frequency sensors to analyze nitrate concentration data from the Upper Mississippi River Basin, the Ohio River Basin, and the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

The AI system will identify patterns and anomalies in nitrate data, helping resource managers pinpoint pollution hotspots and implement effective conservation practices. This approach aims to improve water quality management and provide detailed, actionable insights into nitrate dynamics.

Both initiatives reflect the USDA’s commitment to advancing agricultural sustainability and environmental protection through innovative technologies and expanded production capabilities.