CHS and OCP to Build $450 Million Louisiana Fertilizer Plant

CHS Inc. and OCP North America announced plans to construct a $450 million phosphate fertilizer plant in Waggaman, Louisiana. The facility will be the first of its kind built in the United States in more than 40 years, with a target annual production of over one million tons of phosphate-based fertilizer.

The project aims to decrease U.S. dependency on imported phosphate fertilizers by more than 48%, a move intended to bolster food security amid geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, Russia, and Ukraine. Morocco's OCP Group will serve as the supplier of phosphoric acid for the plant's operations.

The United States Department of Agriculture has signaled its support for the venture to counter industry consolidation and increase market competition. Construction is expected to take up to two years, pending final project approvals and funding.