<PAGE>

                                                                      Exhibit 24


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                               EDWARD G. BEIMFOHR

hereby constitute and appoint Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /s/ Edward G. Beimfohr
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     EDWARD G. BEIMFOHR

<PAGE>


                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                 MARTHA O. HESSE

hereby constitute and appoint Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /s/ Martha O. Hesse
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     MARTHA O. HESSE

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                EDWARD M. CARSON

hereby constitute and appoint Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /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 Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /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 Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /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 Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /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 Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /s/ John R. Norton
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     JOHN R. NORTON III

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                 HENRY R. SLACK

hereby constitute and appoint Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /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 Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


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

<PAGE>

                                POWER OF ATTORNEY

                     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, That I,

                                 BURTON M. JOYCE

hereby constitute and appoint Mark A. Kalafut, Francis G. Meyer and Michael L.
Bennett, 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 20th day of February, 2002.


                                                     /s/ Burton M. Joyce
                                                     ---------------------------
                                                     BURTON M. JOYCE