Documentation and Data Sources

Tables in this product provide annual fertilizer use and price data at the national and State levels. The Association of American Plant Food Control Officials, The Fertilizer Institute, and USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) QuickStats are the primary data sources for national statistics. Note that the NASS survey used to support table 7 (Average U.S. farm prices of selected fertilizers) has been discontinued; the final release of Prices Paid for Fertilizer was April 2014.

State/crop/nutrient-specific statistics on fertilizer use come from the NASS Agricultural Chemical Use Program. In the most recent data released for each crop, the surveyed States sampled represented 93 percent of planted acres for corn; 96 percent of planted acres of soybeans; 89 percent of cotton, and 85 percent of winter wheat. ERS data tables summarize the share of treated acres and application rate per fertilized acre for nitrogen, phosphate, and potash; applied to planted acres for corn, soybeans, cotton, and wheat, by surveyed State.

Historical data (1960-93) are from Taylor, Harold H., 1994. Fertilizer Use and Price Statistics, 1960-93, Statistical Bulletin No. 893, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Economic Research Service.

The ERS schedule for updating these data is once a year, although crop-specific tables update on different schedules.

Tables (as tabs in one Excel workbook) include:

Table 1. U.S. consumption of plant nutrients
Table 2. Estimated U.S. plant nutrient use by selected crops
Table 3. U.S. consumption of single, multiple, and secondary and micro nutrients
Table 4. U.S. consumption of selected nitrogen materials
Table 5. U.S. consumption of selected phosphate and potash fertilizers
Table 6. U.S. consumption of selected secondary, micronutrients, and natural organic materials
Table 7. Average U.S. farm prices of selected fertilizers
Table 8. Fertilizer price indexes
Table 9. Percent of corn acreage receiving nitrogen fertilizer, selected States
Table 10. Nitrogen used on corn, rate per fertilized acre receiving nitrogen, selected States
Table 11. Percentage of corn acreage receiving phosphate fertilizer, selected States
Table 12. Phosphate used on corn, rate per fertilized acre receiving phosphate fertilizer, selected States
Table 13. Percentage of corn acreage receiving potash fertilizer, selected States
Table 14. Potash used on corn, rate per fertilized acre receiving potash, selected States
Table 15. Percentage of cotton acreage receiving nitrogen fertilizer, selected States
Table 16. Nitrogen used on cotton, rate per fertilized acre receiving nitrogen, selected States
Table 17. Percentage of cotton acreage receiving phosphate fertilizer, selected States
Table 18. Phosphate used on cotton, rate per fertilized acre receiving phosphate, selected States
Table 19. Percentage of cotton acreage receiving potash fertilizer, selected States
Table 20. Potash used on cotton, rate per fertilized acre receiving potash, selected States
Table 21. Percentage of soybean acreage receiving nitrogen fertilizer, selected States
Table 22. Nitrogen used on soybeans, rate per fertilized acre receiving nitrogen, selected States
Table 23. Percentage of soybean acreage receiving phosphate fertilizer, selected States
Table 24. Phosphate used on soybeans, rate per fertilized acre receiving phosphate, selected States
Table 25. Percentage of soybean acreage receiving potash fertilizer, selected States
Table 26. Potash used on soybeans, rate per fertilized acre receiving potash, selected States
Table 27. Percentage of wheat acreage receiving nitrogen fertilizer, selected States
Table 28. Nitrogen used on wheat, rate per fertilized acre receiving nitrogen, selected States
Table 29. Percentage of wheat acreage receiving phosphate fertilizer, selected States
Table 30. Phosphate used on wheat, rate per fertilized acre receiving phosphate, selected States
Table 31. Percentage of wheat acreage receiving potash fertilizer, selected States
Table 32. Potash used on wheat, rate per fertilized acre receiving potash, selected States

Update and Revision History

October 30, 2019

Aggregate data on fertilizer consumption and use were updated to the latest available year. Table 1 (U.S. consumption of plant nutrients) was updated through 2015; table 2 (Estimated U.S. plant nutrient use by selected crops) was updated through 2018. Tables 3-6 (U.S. consumption of single, multiple, and secondary/micro nutrients; U.S. consumption of selected nitrogen materials; U.S. consumption of selected nitrogen/phosphate/potash materials; and U.S. consumption of selected secondary, micronutrients, and natural organic materials) were updated through 2015.

Data on fertilizer prices (table 7) are no longer being updated (the supporting USDA survey, on annual prices paid, was discontinued after 2014). Fertilizer price indexes (table 8) were updated through 2018.

Crop-specific fertilizer application estimates are derived from USDA surveys covering selected crops in selected years: data for corn (tables 9-14) extend through 2018; while data for cotton (tables 15-20) and wheat (tables 27-32) were updated through 2017. Data on soybeans (tables 21-26) were updated through 2018.

February 21, 2018

Aggregate data on fertilizer consumption and use were updated to the latest available year. Table 1 (U.S. consumption of plant nutrients) was updated through 2014; table 2 (Estimated U.S. plant nutrient use by selected crops) was updated through 2016. Tables 3-6 (U.S. consumption of single, multiple, and secondary/micro nutrients; U.S. consumption of selected nitrogen materials; U.S. consumption of selected nitrogen/phosphate/potash materials; and U.S. consumption of selected secondary, micronutrients, and natural organic materials) were updated through 2014.

Data on fertilizer prices (table 7) were updated through 2014 (the supporting USDA survey, on annual prices paid, has been discontinued). Fertilizer price indexes (table 8) were updated through 2016.

Crop-specific fertilizer application estimates are derived from USDA surveys covering selected crops in selected years: data for corn (tables 9-14) were updated through 2016; data for cotton (tables 15-20), soybeans (tables 21-26), and wheat (tables 27-32) were updated through 2015.