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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.

What do jet fighters, wind turbines, smartphones and advanced medical imaging have in common? They all rely on rare earth elements (REEs)—a group of minerals that power much of the modern world.

The World’s Population Is Growing. So Is the Role of Phosphate. By 2050, the global population is expected to reach nearly 10 billion. Feeding everyone will require more than just more farms. It will require more from every acre of land. That’s where phosphate comes in.

Rare earth elements power much of the technology we rely on every day, from smartphones and electric vehicles to satellites and defense tech. Today, 96% of global rare earth processing happens in China.

Phosphate earns “critical mineral” status. Phosphate has officially been added to the U.S. Critical Minerals List. It’s official: the U.S. Department of the Interior has added phosphate to the nation’s Critical Minerals List — a major step forward for America’s food security and resource independence.

Road Test: Florida’s pilot project using PG is officially underway The Latest: Construction is now underway on a phosphogypsum (PG) pilot road project. Located on private land near Mulberry, the 3,200-foot test road is a major step forward in exploring safe, productive uses for phosphate byproducts, and Florida is leading the way.

What if phosphate could do more than help farmers feed America? History tells us that the things we overlook often hide America’s greatest innovations.

Rare earth elements (REEs) are essential to modern life. Found in the screens we tap, the cars we drive, the wind turbines that generate clean power, and the defense systems that protect the country. It’s easy to overlook just how much we rely on them.

Out of 186 countries, only one — Guyana — is fully self-sufficient in food production. The United States ranks among the top 15, with a food self-sufficiency score of 78, but we still import roughly 20% of what we eat. A new global study, featured in Science Focus, highlights how rare true food independence is — and why it’s a growing concern.