U.S. Expands Critical Minerals List — Fertilizer Inputs Move to the Forefront
Phosphate and potash gain “critical” status as Washington widens supply-chain strategy beyond defense and technology to agriculture security
The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has released its 2025 draft update to the List of Critical Minerals, adding 10 new materials — including phosphate and potash, two core fertilizer ingredients — in a move that expands the government’s definition of “criticality” to the agricultural sector.
The update, mandated under the Energy Act of 2020, brings the total number of critical minerals to 54, up from 50 in 2022. While earlier lists focused heavily on energy transition and high-tech materials such as lithium, cobalt, and rare earths, the 2025 revision marks the first time fertilizer feedstocks have been explicitly recognized as essential to national security and economic stability.
Fertilizer Minerals Recognized as Strategic
According to the USGS, the inclusion of potash and phosphate rock reflects their “high economic importance and increasing import dependency.” Roughly 85% of U.S. potash consumption goes into agriculture, and nearly all of it is imported, primarily from Canada, Belarus, and Russia. For phosphate rock, domestic production has stagnated around 20 million tons annually while net import reliance has grown to about 13% of apparent U.S. consumption.
Quote of note: “The addition of phosphate and potash to the list underscores the reality that food security and mineral security are intertwined,” said an Interior Department official in a press briefing. “Fertilizer supply disruptions can directly threaten agricultural output, price stability, and economic resilience.”
Expanded Scope of “Critical”
The USGS now applies a more sophisticated trade-disruption model, simulating over 1,200 potential global supply shocks across 84 mineral commodities. That model identified phosphate and potash as particularly vulnerable given concentrated production, geopolitical risks, and limited domestic alternatives.
Also new to the list are minerals like silver, copper, and metallurgical coal, which play vital roles in manufacturing and energy infrastructure. By contrast, some materials dropped from the list had lower economic sensitivity or diversified supply bases.
Policy and Market Implications
Designation as “critical” carries practical consequences. It allows for faster federal permitting, expanded research funding, and potential tax incentives for domestic exploration and processing. It also elevates fertilizer minerals within the broader national-security framework — positioning them alongside defense-linked metals and clean-energy materials.
Analysts say the move could reshape fertilizer investment and trade strategy. Some say it may spur domestic potash projects and increase scrutiny of foreign supply chains.
For farmers, however, the near-term effect may be more muted. Potash and phosphate prices remain influenced primarily by global production dynamics — with Canada, Morocco, and Russia dominating exports — but critical-mineral status could enhance supply-chain resilience over time.
Looking Ahead
The public comment period on the draft list runs through late November 2025, after which USGS will finalize the update. Industry groups — including the Fertilizer Institute (TFI) and American Farm Bureau Federation — have already voiced support, emphasizing that “agricultural minerals deserve the same strategic priority as battery metals.”
The levies contributed to a 36% drop in imports from April through July versus a year earlier, according to TFI. The disruption underscores growing alarm over reliance on unstable foreign supply chains for phosphates, potash, and nitrogen — key nutrients essential for crop production. “Rightfully recognizing phosphate and potash as critical minerals will support American farmers across the country and help ensure high crop yields and stocked grocery store shelves for consumers,” TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch said in a statement on Thursday. “It’s time to change how we think about these vital resources.”
The American Soybean Assn. (ASA) thanked the Trump administration “for taking an important step to address rising farm production costs. As we look toward the next planting season, soybean farmers are concerned about the increasing cost of farming inputs, including fertilizer,” said ASA President and Kentucky farmer Caleb Ragland. “By recognizing phosphate and potash as critical minerals, the U.S. Geological Survey has underscored the importance of a reliable domestic fertilizer supply. While more work remains to strengthen supply chains and reduce costs for farmers, today’s announcement is a meaningful step toward greater stability and security for U.S. agriculture.”
The move aligns with President Donald Trump’s broader supply-chain strategy, which has sought to reduce U.S. dependence on foreign minerals across energy, manufacturing, and food systems. As the administration expands the national conversation about “criticality,” fertilizer inputs are now firmly part of the equation.
