There’s more to growing crops than what happens on the farm.
Most people see the harvest. Fewer see what makes it possible.
Healthy soil starts with the right nutrients. Phosphate products help farmers strengthen their fields and grow more food on every acre.
But producing those nutrients also creates something else.
When phosphate is produced, it creates a reusable byproduct called phosphogypsum (PG).
PG is a normal part of the process. It comes from the same phosphate rock that helps produce the nutrients farmers rely on, and it contains low levels of naturally occurring elements found in that rock.
Because of that, the EPA requires PG to be stored in large, pyramid-like structures known as gypstacks.
Today, PG is already approved by the EPA for limited use in agriculture and research, and scientists around the world have identified more than 55 potential beneficial uses including infrastructure and reforestation.
That’s why American researchers and innovators are taking a closer look and asking a new question: What if we could put PG to work?
From building materials that support infrastructure to rare earth elements that power advanced technology, energy systems, and national security, the possibilities continue to grow.
More than 20 countries already reuse PG.
The opportunity is simple: take a material that has long been set aside and turn it into something that strengthens supply chains, supports innovation, and reduces the need for new resources.
That’s good for the economy and the environment.
The resources that help feed the world don’t stop at the harvest. They’re part of a larger chain of science, innovation, and American ingenuity. Let’s strengthen that chain together.
