en.Wedoany.com Reported - Agricultural market information service provider DTN data shows that fertilizer prices continued their downward trend in the first week of July, following weeks of fluctuating prices.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is simultaneously advancing domestic fertilizer price regulation and capacity assurance measures, expanding domestic fertilizer production through a new $500 million infrastructure investment plan. The plan, named the "Fertilizer Investment and Expansion for Long-term Domestic Supply" (FIELDS), officially opened for applications on July 1, with a deadline of August 17. U.S. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins stated in a July 1 announcement: "For decades, American farmers have been forced to rely on unstable foreign suppliers for one of the most critical inputs needed to feed the nation. Today, we announce a plan to end this monopoly and bring competition back to the U.S. fertilizer industry."

Under the plan, individual projects can receive competitive grants ranging from $15 million to $150 million, with applicants required to provide at least 50% matching funds. Funding will prioritize projects with private investment, technical feasibility, and the ability to quickly commence production for expansion or new construction. The FIELDS plan aims to enhance self-sufficiency in key nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium by expanding existing facilities, building new domestic plants, supporting "shovel-ready" projects, and developing supporting logistics infrastructure. Against the backdrop of current geopolitical impacts on global supply chains, this move is intended to reduce U.S. agriculture's dependence on foreign sources and stabilize medium- to long-term fertilizer price expectations. However, analysts point out that due to the time required for existing inventory digestion and new capacity release, fertilizer prices may remain high and volatile for the remainder of the year.