ARLINGTON, VA – The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) today praised members of Congress in both chambers for joining a letter sent to Department of the Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in support of adding phosphate to the U.S. Geological Survey’s list of critical minerals. The letter, a bipartisan and bicameral effort led by Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Representatives Kat Cammack (R-FL) and Jimmy Panetta (D-CA), included 68 members from Congress.
“We thank Senators Ernst and Slotkin and Representatives Cammack and Panetta for working together and uniting a bipartisan voice urging the Secretary of the Interior to rightfully recognize the essential nature of phosphate,” said TFI President and CEO Corey Rosenbusch. “The majority of the world’s phosphate resources are concentrated in only a few countries, leaving them open to supply chain vulnerabilities and geopolitical instability.”
The letter thanks Secretary Burgum for including potash on the draft list of critical minerals and then makes a strong case that phosphate also clearly meets the criteria to be defined as a critical mineral, noting that, “[Phosphate] has no substitutes in farming, and disruptions in supply have immediate and far-reaching consequences for American producers, food prices, and national security.”
“Without access to essential fertilizers, modern agricultural systems would crumble and the ability to feed our growing population would be nearly impossible,” Rosenbusch concluded. “It is vital that we take proactive steps to secure our own agricultural future by recognizing the role phosphate plays in putting food on our tables.”
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The Fertilizer Institute (TFI) is the leading voice of the nation’s fertilizer industry. Tracing its roots back to 1883, TFI’s membership includes fertilizer producers, wholesalers, retailers and trading firms. TFI’s full-time staff, based in Washington, D.C., serves its members through legislative, educational, technical, economic information and public communication programs. Find more information about TFI online at TFI.org and follow us on Twitter at @Fertilizer_Inst. Learn more about TFI’s nutrient stewardship initiatives at nutrientstewardship.org and on Twitter at @4rnutrients.
