U.S. Invests $1.5B to Revive Coal-Powered Fertilizer Plant

Oct 30, 2025
By Farms.com

Wabash Valley Gets $1.5B Boost for Ammonia Production

U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright announced that the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Loan Programs Office (LPO) has finalized a $1.5 billion loan to Wabash Valley Resources, LLC.

The funding will support the revival and transformation of a coal gasification facility in West Terre Haute, Indiana, into a coal-powered ammonia fertilizer plant.

Once operational, the facility is expected to produce around 500,000 metric tons of anhydrous ammonia annually, using locally sourced coal and petcoke as feedstock.

“For too long, America has been dependent on foreign sources of fertilizer,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. “Under President Trump’s leadership, we are changing that by putting America first, relying on American coal, American workers, and American innovation to power our farms and feed our families.”

The Wabash project aims to strengthen domestic fertilizer production while supporting the local economy in a traditional coal community.

The plant’s reopening will create hundreds of jobs and reduce dependence on imports from regions such as Canada, the Middle East, and Russia.

This loan marks the second financial close under the Energy Dominance Financing (EDF) Program, established through the Working Families Tax Cut—also known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.

The project aligns with administration goals to enhance U.S. energy dominance, improve food security, and reduce costs for American farmers through stable, homegrown fertilizer production.

Photo Credit: energy.gov

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.