anhydrous ammonia

Corn growers and agricultural associations are urging the DOJ to investigate the fertilizer industry for collusive practices, citing exorbitant input costs threatening the agricultural economy. The letter highlights recent federal actions, including DOJ and FTC probes into companies like Nutrien, Mosaic, and CF Industries, and calls for stronger antitrust enforcement.

An Iowa farmer reports domestic fertilizer prices have more than doubled since 2021, reaching $1,150 per metric ton, making costs unsustainable. He attributes the crisis to market consolidation and global supply chain disruptions linked to the war in Iran, while federal agencies investigate potential collusion in the fertilizer market.

A fire at a Lineage cold storage facility in Boyle Heights, California, involving toxic anhydrous ammonia, and an earlier explosion scare at an Orange County aerospace facility raised concerns about hazardous chemical risks. Residents and officials question regulatory oversight as both facilities had prior violations, and conflicting information about chemical leaks caused public distrust.

Residents in California's Boyle Heights and Orange County are demanding accountability after fires at facilities storing hazardous chemicals caused public health concerns. The Lineage warehouse in Los Angeles used anhydrous ammonia, while a Garden Grove aerospace facility earlier prompted a mass evacuation due to potential chemical leaks. Both facilities had prior regulatory violations, raising questions about oversight and safety measures.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) concluded that a 2024 North Dakota derailment, caused by a collapsed culvert, highlighted the risks of flawed DOT-111 tank cars, which ruptured and spilled flammable methanol and anhydrous ammonia. The NTSB reiterated its longstanding call to replace these tank cars, citing past disasters like the 2023 East Palestine and 2013 Lac-Mégantic derailments, and noted that Congress mandated phasing out DOT-111 cars for flammable liquids by 2029.

A wind-powered green ammonia plant in Minnesota, developed by the University of Minnesota West Central Research and Outreach Center, produces homegrown ammonia to reduce reliance on imported fertilizers. The facility uses wind energy to generate hydrogen and nitrogen, which are combined to create ammonia for agriculture and industry, aiming to lower costs for farmers and diversify energy applications.