CF Industries Holdings, a global leader in hydrogen and nitrogen products, has teamed up with POET, the world’s largest biofuels producer, to launch a groundbreaking pilot project aimed at creating a low-carbon fertilizer supply chain. 

 

The initiative, carried out in partnership with major agricultural cooperatives, seeks to reduce the carbon footprint of corn and produce low-carbon ethanol for fuel and export.

 

The pilot program includes WinField United—the crop inputs and insights arm of Land O’Lakes, Inc —along with NuWay-K&H, New Cooperative, and Farmer’s Cooperative. The partners will track the carbon intensity of low-carbon fertilizer from production through distribution to corn growers across Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri, and Nebraska. 

 

Corn grown with the fertilizer will then be used in POET facilities to produce ethanol with a lower carbon footprint. The first distribution and application of low-carbon ammonia fertilizer was successfully completed in fall 2025.

 

POET estimates that corn grown using the low-carbon fertilizer could produce 5-6 million gallons of ethanol with reduced carbon intensity.

 

“Fertilizers manufactured with a lower carbon intensity provide a quantifiable and certifiable method of decarbonizing bioethanol inputs,” said Bert Frost, executive vice president and chief commercial officer, CF Industries. 

 

“We are proud to collaborate with POET, WinField United, NuWay-K&H, New Cooperative, and Farmer’s Cooperative to demonstrate the viability of a low-carbon ethanol value chain that links low-carbon fertilizers to retailers to farmers to ethanol production.”

 

“At POET, we’re always working to expand markets for farmers and support Midwest economies,” said Christian McIlvain, President of POET Grain. “This trial provides an additional pathway to reduce the carbon intensity of our bioethanol, delivering both environmental and economic benefits for rural communities.”

 

CF Industries produces low-carbon ammonia at its Donaldsonville Complex by capturing and permanently storing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from ammonia production. At full capacity, the facility can produce up to 1.9 million tons of low-carbon ammonia annually, enough to fertilize 19-22 million acres of corn.

 

“Collaborating on this pilot program that aims to build a sustainable supply chain from production to the end user was an immediate yes,” said Paul Barr, Senior Director - Procurement, Operations and Transportation, WinField United Crop Nutrients. 

 

“Together with CF Industries and our member-owners, we are driving innovation and growth for the future of agriculture. Our cooperative system has a commitment to environmental stewardship and leadership in low-carbon initiatives, applying best-in-class practices to benefit American farmers and advance agricultural sustainability.”