<PAGE>

                                                                      Exhibit 24
                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                              EDWARD G. BEIMFOHR


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  28th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                        /s/ Edward G. Beimfohr
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       EDWARD G. BEIMFOHR
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                              CAROLE L. BROOKINS


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  28th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                      /s/ Carole L. Brookins
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      CAROLE L. BROOKINS
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                               EDWARD M. CARSON


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  28th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                        /s/ Edward M. Carson
                                       -----------------------------------------
                                       EDWARD M. CARSON
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                              THOMAS H. CLAIBORNE


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  28th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                       /s/ Thomas H. Claiborne
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      THOMAS H. CLAIBORNE
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                 ERIC K. DIACK


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  28th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                        /s/ Eric K. Diack
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        ERIC K. DIACK
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                DAVID E. FISHER


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  2nd  day of  March , 2001.
                          -----        -------



                                      /s/ David E. Fisher
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      DAVID E. FISHER
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                              JOHN R. NORTON III


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  27th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                       /s/ John R. Norton III
                                      ------------------------------------------
                                      JOHN R. NORTON III
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                HENRY R. SLACK


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  27th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                        /s/ Henry R. Slack
                                        ----------------------------------------
                                        HENRY R. SLACK
<PAGE>

                               POWER OF ATTORNEY

                    KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                            WILLIAM R. LOOMIS, JR.


hereby constitute and appoint George H. Valentine, Francis G. Meyer and Burton
M. Joyce, or each of them, with full power of substitution and resubstitution,
my true and lawful attorney, for me and in my name, place and stead, to sign my
name as a director of Terra Industries Inc. (the "Company") to the Company's
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2000 and any
amendments or supplements thereto, and to file said Annual Report and any
amendment or supplement thereto, with the Securities and Exchange Commission
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.

     I hereby ratify and confirm all that said attorneys, or each of them, or
his substitute or substitutes, have done or shall lawfully do by virtue of this
Power of Attorney.

     WITNESS my hand this  28th  day of  February , 2001.
                          ------        ----------



                                      /s/ William R. Loomis, Jr.
                                     -------------------------------------------
                                     WILLIAM R. LOOMIS, JR.