Together, America Prospers

Fertilizer Production Expansion Program

What does this 

program do?

The Fertilizer Production

Expansion Program (FPEP) 

provides grants to help eligible 

applicants increase or expand 

the manufacturing and 

processing of fertilizer and 

nutrient alternatives in the 

United States and its territories.

Who can apply? 

The program is open to for-profit 

businesses and corporations, 

nonprofit entities, Tribes and Tribal 

organizations, producer-owned 

cooperatives and corporations, 

certified benefit corporations, and 

state or local governments. Private 

entities must be independently owned 

and operated.

Eligible applicants must: 

• Operate in the United States or one

of its territories

• Follow all federal, state, Tribal,

and local regulations governing

fertilizer and nutrient manufacturing,

processing, storage, distribution,

and waste management

• Be registered in the System for Award

Management (SAM), and maintain a

valid SAM registration during the

application process and throughout

the entire award term. You can learn

more about how to register in SAM at

this link: https://sam.gov/content/

entity-registration.

Eligible applicants — including their 

affiliates — must certify they do not 

hold a market share (in either 

manufacturing, processing, or 

distribution) greater than or equal to 

the entity that holds the fourth largest 

share of that market for the following 

nutrients or components: nitrogen, 

phosphate, potash, or any 

combination of the three. No 

certification is required if you are 

manufacturing, processing, or 

planning to manufacture or process 

eligible nutrients not listed above.

How can funds be used?

Grant funds must be used to 

increase or otherwise expand the 

manufacturing and processing of 

fertilizer and nutrient alternatives in 

the United States and its territories. 

Funds can support activities such as:

• Building a new facility, buying an

existing facility, or purchasing land

• Covering pre-development

costs like engineering and other

professional fees

• Providing working capital to expand

capacity or increase outputs

• Modernizing or expanding an

existing facility, including making

updates to existing buildings or

constructing new buildings on site

• Purchasing or modernizing processing

and manufacturing equipment

• Developing, customizing, and

installing equipment, devices, and

technology to improve processing

functions, worker conditions, or safety

• Installing or updating climate-smart

equipment that reduces greenhouse

gas emissions, increases fertilizer

use efficiency, improves air and

water quality, or meets one or more

of USDA’s climate action goals

(Information is available at this link:

https://go.usa.gov/xSFrw)

• Ensuring legal compliance

with packaging and labeling

requirements such as sealing,

boxing, labeling, and conveying,

among others
Fertilizer Production Expansion Program

How can funds be used? (Continued)

• Confirming legal compliance with

occupational and safety regulations

• Engaging in workforce recruitment,

training, apprenticeships, and

retention to ensure expansion

projects are adequately staffed

What are the grant terms?

The minimum award is $1 million, and 

the maximum award is $100 million. 

The grant period is five years. 

What are some other requirements?

FPEP supports the production of 

agricultural commodities through 

the manufacturing and processing 

of fertilizer, nutrient alternatives, and 

other nutrient-management products 

and technologies that are: 

• Independent, and outside the orbit

of dominant fertilizer suppliers.

Because the program’s goal is to

increase competition, market share

restrictions apply.

• Made in America. FPEP products

must be produced by companies

located in the U.S. or its territories,

create good-paying jobs at

home, and reduce the reliance on

potentially-unstable or inconsistent

foreign supplies.

• Innovative and improve fertilizer

production methods and efficientuse technologies to jumpstart the

next generation of fertilizers, nutrient

alternatives, and other nutrient

management products.

• Sustainable. Ideally, products will

reduce the greenhouse gas impact

of transportation, production,

and use through renewable

energy sources, feedstocks, and

formulations, incentivizing greater

precision in fertilizer use.

• Farmer-focused. Like other

Commodity Credit Corporation

(CCC) investments, a driving

factor is providing support and

opportunities for U.S. agricultural

commodity producers.

What governs this program?

The FPEP is authorized by the CCC 

Charter Act (information is available at 

this link: https://www.usda.gov/ccc) to 

assist agricultural producers through 

loans, purchases, payments, and other 

operations. USDA Rural Development’s

Rural Business-Cooperative Service

(RBCS) administers the grant program.

How do I apply?

Check the Request for Applications 

(RFA) posted September 26, 2022, at 

https://www.grants.gov/.

NOTE: Because information is subject to change, always consult official program 

instructions or contact your local Rural Development office for help. A list is available 

at this link: https://go.usa.gov/xJHPE. You will find additional resources, forms, and 

program information at https://rd.usda.gov. USDA is an equal opportunity provider, 

employer, and lender.

Last Updated September 2022