U.S. farmers rely on Canadian potash fertilizer from Saskatchewan in order to add potassium to their soils. Canada has the largest potash reserves in the world, with more than 1.1 billion tons — accounting for over one-third of the world’s reserves — compared to 220 million tons in the U.S., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The U.S. “does not have sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand,” Fertilizer Canada said, noting American farmers used 5.3 million tons of potash in 2023 while the country produced about 400,000 tons. Canada produced an estimated 21.9 million tons of potash in 2023.