Farmers Get Boost as Fertilizers Join US Critical Minerals List

The US decision to recognize potash and phosphate as critical minerals is welcome relief to struggling farmers and fertilizer companies squeezed by tariffs.

The government on Thursday said it was adding the key fertilizer ingredients to the federal list of critical minerals amid efforts by the Trump administration to broaden the scope of commodities deemed vital to the US economy and national security. The government historically has used the list to drive policies boosting domestic production and diversifying supply chains.

The designation follows tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump that curbed US phosphate imports, a vital farm input, just as ...