Alltech has been awarded a $2.34 million grant from the USDA’s Fertilizer Production Expansion Program (FPEP) to bolster Alltech Crop Science’s (ACS) biological fertilizer production.

ACS is the agronomic division of Alltech. The funding will support the construction of a new $4.6 million, 15,000-square-foot manufacturing facility dedicated to producing biological fertilizers and crop inputs.

Located on the campus of Alltech’s global headquarters in Nicholasville, Kentucky, the facility will be ACS’s first U.S. production plant dedicated solely to crop science, and is expected to produce more than 66,000 gallons of biological fertilizers per shift per month.

Modeled after the company’s crop science production facilities in Brazil and Spain, the new manufacturing plant will produce more than 30 products the company says will help farmers enhance soil and crop vitality and reduce chemical inputs. Alltech says the new crop science facility enables ACS to offer more of its natural agronomic technologies and fertilizers both domestically and internationally.

The USDA’s $500 million FPEP initiative was launched in 2022 in response to supply chain disruptions and rising fertilizer prices. It aims to increase the production, availability and affordability of domestic fertilizer and nutrient alternatives and reduce reliance on imported synthetic fertilizers. The ACS project was selected for its innovative approach to soil and crop health.

“This USDA grant is a major step forward for farmers seeking natural, science-based solutions,” said Dr. Steve Borst, vice president of Alltech Crop Science. “By expanding our production capabilities here in Kentucky, we are investing in our local economy, providing farmers with high-quality biological solutions that improve soil and crops and contributing to a more resilient agricultural system.”

According to Dr. Mark Lyons, president and CEO of Alltech, this investment in U.S. production scales the accessibility of the company’s natural solutions. “We are proud to expand our presence here in Kentucky, where Alltech was founded and continues to thrive,” said Lyons. “Our deep expertise in microbial fermentation has revolutionized crop nutrition, delivering solutions that improve soil and plant health, activate plants’ natural defense systems, boost productivity and reduce agriculture’s environmental footprint.”

Alltech plans to break ground on the new crop science facility in October.