Washington State award will expand domestic fertilizer production, create jobs, and lowers costs for farmers.
Olympia, WA., Oct. 30, 2024 – Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development is awarding over $120 million to fund six fertilizer production projects across six states, including a project in Washington, through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP), which provides grants to independent business owners to modernize equipment, adopt new technologies, build production plants, and more.
One such project in Washington State, Myno 001 LLC, will receive $20.4 million to help construct a large-scale biochar carbon removal facility in Clallam County near Port Angeles. This facility will convert waste timber biomass into biochar, which can be used as an agricultural soil amendment. A wholly owned subsidiary of Myno Carbon Corp, Myno 001 LLC is developing biochar markets in the inland Pacific Northwest and is expected to produce 40,000 tons of biochar annually for use by 5,000 agricultural producers in the region.
“This award brings great opportunity to the North Olympic Peninsula - to address climate change, reduce wildfire risk and expand job opportunities in the process”, observed Helen Price Johnson, State Director for USDA Rural Development in Washington. “The Biden-Harris Administration’s investment in expanding domestic fertilizer production will not only strengthen American agriculture, but also reduce costs for farmers and consumers alike. “
FPEP was created by President Biden and USDA to help counteract rising fertilizer costs, which more than doubled between 2021 and 2022 due to factors including the war in Ukraine and a lack of competition in the fertilizer industry.
Since its inception, FPEP has supported impactful projects across the country, such as Title Grow AgriScience, a division of Title Vision Products, Inc., which received a $2.3 million grant to expand its fertilizer production facility in Pacific County, Washington. This project is increasing domestic fertilizer production and creating good-paying jobs in the local community.
To date, USDA has invested over $368 million in 67 projects nationwide through FPEP, creating new jobs and expanding domestic fertilizer production.
“These investments support President Biden’s Investing in America agenda, which aims to build a strong economy from the middle out and bottom up while promoting fair and competitive markets for American farmers and ranchers,” Price Johnson added. “Investing in a climate smart future for rural communities and small businesses helps create a resilient economy, build jobs, and generate wealth, which is crucial for rural prosperity in Washington State.”
USDA touches the lives of all Americans every day in countless positive ways. Under the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system to emphasize resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, improved access to safe, healthy, and nutritious food in all communities, new revenue streams for farmers through climate-smart practices, historic infrastructure investments in rural America, and a commitment to equity by reducing systemic barriers and building a workforce that reflects America. To learn more, visit www.usda.gov/wa.