Lawmakers are urging Interior Secretary Doug Burgum in a letter to restore potash and add phosphate to the department’s critical minerals list. Their letter comes weeks after the White House issued an executive order to boost phosphate and domestic mineral production. Items included on the list receive increased research funding and streamlined permitting procedures, which could support U.S. production of fertilizer.
 
Potash was removed from the list in 2022. The mineral’s “significance for U.S. national security, food security and American farmers is especially critical, particularly given recent global events that have affected fertilizer markets and highlighted the risks of disruptions,” the letter reads.
 
The U.S. imports more than 90% of the potash used annually. A majority of that is supplied by Canada and is now subject to a 10% tariff. Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, told news reporters, she was confident that “ensuring both potash and phosphate — two essential fertilizer components — receive this designation will strengthen domestic fertilizer production.”