Last week, the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development California State Director Maria Gallegos Herrera announced that the USDA is investing $32 million in three California domestic fertilizer projects, two within the San Joaquin Valley, to strengthen competition for U.S. farmers and agricultural producers.
"The Biden-Harris Administration and USDA recognize California is a key contributor in our nation’s agricultural economy,” Gallegos Herrera said. “These investments will propel San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire growers and innovators and bring agricultural jobs to local communities.”
Corigin Solutions Inc. in Merced received a $2.8 million grant and will use it to expand its carbon removal facility. Corigin Solutions Inc converts almond shells, an agricultural waste product, into regenerative crop inputs. It’s expected this project will help remove 22,000 tons of CO2 pollution per year. To learn more about Corigin, click here.
Gemperle Brothers dba Gemperle Fam Farms in Turlock will use a nearly $4 million grant to build a chicken litter pellet fertilizer facility. This locally owned and operated business plans to produce 50,000 tons of fertilizer within its first two years, providing a domestic fertilizer option for about 100 local producers.
4420 Serrano Drive LLC in Jurupa Valley will use a $25 million grant to build and equip a Black Soldier Fly food waste upcycling facility. The facility uses insects to recycle food waste into an organic nutrient fertilizer. Through this funding, the facility is expected to produce 11,400 tons annually, providing domestic fertilizer for approximately 90 regional producers.
In total, the Department announced it is awarding a total of $83 million in 12 states for projects through the Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP). This program grants independent business owners to help them modernize equipment, adopt new technologies, build production plants, and more.
These investments will boost domestic fertilizer production, strengthen competition, and lower costs for U.S. farmers. The projects will also help U.S. farmers increase independent, domestic fertilizer production.
