GROWMARK, Inc. has taken a minority equity stake in Wabash Valley Resources (WVR), supporting the development of a new ammonia fertiliser facility in West Terre Haute, Indiana, as the United States seeks to strengthen domestic fertiliser production and supply reliability. The investment facilitated the first advance under WVR’s loan from the US Department of Energy (DOE) and will support construction of the proposed facility. Designed to produce 500,000 metric tonnes of anhydrous ammonia annually, the project is expected to create a significant new domestic source of nitrogen fertiliser for farmers across the Eastern Corn Belt. Commercial operations are targeted to begin in 2029.
For GROWMARK, the investment aligns with its agricultural cooperative operations, which include crop nutrients and logistics. Expanding fertiliser production closer to the farmers and cooperatives it serves could help strengthen regional supply networks and improve access to a critical agricultural input. “Our investment in Wabash Valley Resources will bring a new, independent source of ammonia closer to the farmers and cooperatives that depend on it,” said Mark Orr, CEO of GROWMARK. “It’s a long-term investment in reliable domestic supply and the competitiveness of our member-owners.”
The project links GROWMARK’s focus on dependable crop nutrient availability with the development of additional US manufacturing capacity. Ammonia is a key nitrogen fertiliser and an important input for agricultural production, making supply reliability a strategic concern for farmers and agricultural distributors. WVR said the investment marks a significant milestone in advancing the project from development towards construction.
“GROWMARK’s investment is a pivotal milestone for WVR and a strong vote of confidence in independent ammonia production,” said Dan Williams, CEO of WVR. “With this investment, we move closer to turning years of development into a dependable source of American-made fertilizer.” Williams also acknowledged the US Department of Energy and its Office of Energy Dominance Financing for their role in bringing the transaction to fruition. He said the company’s immediate focus was to build the facility safely and establish a reliable supply of domestically produced fertiliser for US farmers.
With annual planned capacity of 500,000 metric tonnes, the Indiana project is positioned to add a substantial source of ammonia production to the regional agricultural supply chain. Its eventual contribution to fertiliser availability will depend on construction progress and the facility’s transition to commercial operations. The investment underscores the role of agricultural cooperatives in supporting upstream input infrastructure, connecting the needs of farmers with longer-term investments in fertiliser manufacturing and distribution. For GROWMARK and its member-owners, the project represents a strategic commitment to domestic production capacity and the resilience of regional crop nutrient supply.
