Grant impacts Black Hawk County
DES MOINES, Iowa, Dec. 18, 2024 – U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development State Director in Iowa Theresa Greenfield today announced that the Agency is awarding a $3,947,631 grant to the Hydrite Chemical Company for an expansion project through funding from the Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program (FPEP). This project is designed to lower fertilizer costs for American farmers and lower food costs for U.S. consumers.
“Expanding American-made fertilizer will create jobs and save Iowa ag producers money,” said Director Greenfield. “The Biden Harris Administration and USDA are committed to investing in a competitive, resilient, secure and sustainable economy that supports local business and rural communities.”
Hydrite Chemical Co. received a $3,947,631 grant to help expand existing facilities located in Waterloo, Iowa, and in Terre Haute, Indiana. The company, a family-owned manufacturer and distributor based in Brookfield, Wisconsin, provides producers with specialty and commodity chemicals used across agriculture production applications. The expansion in equipment is expected to yield 10 million pounds of potassium thiosulfate and two million pounds of low salt fertilizer by 2027.
This award is part of a larger national announcement for USDA.
USDA Fertilizer Production and Expansion Program
FPEP is funded by the Commodity Credit Corporation and provides funding to independent business owners to help them modernize equipment, adopt new technologies, build production plants and more.
Through the program, USDA has invested $517 million in 76 fertilizer production facilities to expand access to domestic fertilizer options for American farmers in 34 states and Puerto Rico. These investments will increase U.S. fertilizer production by 11.8 million tons annually and create more than 1,300 jobs in rural communities.
President Biden and USDA created FPEP to combat issues facing American farmers due to rising fertilizer prices, which more than doubled between 2021 and 2022 due to a variety of factors such as war in Ukraine and a lack of competition in the fertilizer industry. The Administration committed up to $900 million through the Commodity Credit Corporation for FPEP. Funding supports long-term investments that will strengthen supply chains, create new economic opportunities for American businesses, and support climate-smart innovation.
Contact USDA Rural Development
USDA Rural Development has 11 offices across the state to serve the 1.3 million Iowans living in rural communities and areas. Office locations include a state office in Des Moines, along with area offices in Albia, Atlantic, Humboldt, Indianola, Iowa Falls, Le Mars, Mount Pleasant, Storm Lake, Tipton and Waverly.
To learn more about investment resources for rural areas in Iowa, call (515) 284-4663 or visit www.rd.usda.gov/ia. If you’d like to subscribe to USDA Rural Development updates, visit our GovDelivery subscriber page.
Under the Biden-Harris Administration, Rural Development provides loans and grants to help expand economic opportunities, create jobs, and improve the quality of life for millions of Americans in rural areas. This assistance supports infrastructure improvements; business development; housing; community facilities such as schools, public safety, and health care; and high-speed internet access in rural, Tribal, and high-poverty areas.
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