What This Bill Does
This Senate bill would amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 so fertilizer storage facilities can qualify for farm storage facility loans. In practical terms, it would let eligible farmers and agricultural businesses use an existing USDA lending program to help finance storage infrastructure for fertilizer, not just grain and other covered commodities. The bill is designed to make it easier to invest in on-farm and near-farm storage that supports planting, supply management, and input security.
- Amends the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008.
- Adds fertilizer storage facilities to the list of eligible farm storage facility loan uses.
- Uses an existing USDA loan program rather than creating a new subsidy.
- Affects farmers and agricultural businesses that need to finance fertilizer storage infrastructure.
Who This Bill Affects
If you are a farmer, rancher, or agricultural business that stores fertilizer, this bill could make it easier to borrow money for storage facilities through an existing USDA loan program. That could lower financing costs and improve your ability to buy fertilizer when prices are favorable, store it safely, and reduce supply disruptions during the growing season. For most other people, the direct effect is limited because the change is focused on a specific agricultural financing category.
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- Bill
- S 4852
- Congress
- 119th Congress
- Official title
- A bill to amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008 to make fertilizer storage facilities eligible for farm storage facility loans, and for other purposes.
- Policy area
- Agriculture
- Latest action
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. (June 22, 2026)
- Last updated
- June 23, 2026
Who Supports & Opposes This
- Crop farmers and livestock producers They want a cheaper way to store fertilizer on-site so they can buy when prices are better and keep operations running on schedule. Expanded loan eligibility could reduce up-front capital barriers for needed farm infrastructure.
- Agricultural lenders and farm service businesses They may support a clearer, broader loan category that helps producers finance practical storage improvements. More eligible projects can translate into more lending activity and stronger farm customers.
- Rural cooperatives and input suppliers They often see fertilizer storage as part of improving local supply resilience. Better storage can reduce last-minute shortages and help farmers manage seasonal demand more efficiently.
- Fiscal conservatives They may question whether expanding eligibility broadens federal credit exposure for a specialized use that private lenders could already finance. Even existing loan programs can create taxpayer risk if borrowers default.
- Environmental and safety advocates They may worry that more fertilizer storage could increase the chance of spills, runoff, or contamination if facilities are not carefully designed and monitored. Any expansion would need strong safety and containment standards.
- Competing applicants for USDA loan resources They may be concerned that adding another eligible use could increase competition for limited lending capacity. If demand rises, some other farm projects could face longer waits or tighter funding availability.
Key Implications
-
““make fertilizer storage facilities eligible for farm storage facility loans””
This is the core eligibility change. Facilities used to store fertilizer could be financed through a USDA farm storage loan program, which can lower borrowing costs for qualifying agricultural borrowers.
-
““amend the Food, Conservation, and Energy Act of 2008””
The bill updates an existing federal farm law rather than launching a separate program. That means the change would plug into current USDA loan rules and administration.
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““for other purposes””
This standard legislative phrase signals that the bill may include additional technical or conforming changes. Those changes can matter for how USDA defines eligible facilities and administers the program.
Latest Status
June 22, 2026
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.
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