Nitrogen Production Process
Nitrogen is essential to all life. In fact, it makes up about 80 per cent of the air we breathe. Required in large quantities, plants use this vital nutrient to support plant growth, protein synthesis, photosynthesis, and other important plant processes.
It is found naturally in the environment (i.e., the air we breathe) and must be converted into ammonium or nitrate for plants to use it. The air we breathe contains nitrogen gas that can be converted into ammonia for agricultural use. The nitrogen from the air is mixed with hydrogen from natural gas to produce ammonia. The ammonia is then applied directly to a producer’s fields or mixed with various elements, including liquid carbon dioxide, to produce fertilizer products. The two most common products produced during this process are urea and ammonium nitrate. Both fertilizer products can be combined with other nutrients to support crop production on various North American farms and fields.
Knowing what goes into the nitrogen fertilizer you use and the agricultural inputs you invest in is essential to making more informed decisions about nutrient management and crop production.
Once nitrogen fertilizer products have been manufactured, they are stored and prepared for distribution. Retailers then purchase the products to distribute to customers while often producing custom blends for the farmers in their region. The final fertilizer products are then shipped and delivered to producers to be applied on the farm.
Understanding this process will give you greater insight into the factors that influence fertilizer production, availability, and cost. This will help you plan ahead, make more informed input decisions, and manage your fertilizer programs and budgets more efficiently.
Producing the fertilizer needed to support agricultural production and feed our growing world is no simple task. The supply chain relies on the dedication of producers, suppliers, and distributors who work together to create a meaningful product that can support agricultural production.
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Facts about Nitrogen
- Approximately 80 percent of the air we breathe is nitrogen.
- For plants to use nitrogen, it must be converted to ammonium or nitrate by industrial or natural processes.
- Urea and ammonium nitrate are the two main end products of the nitrogen fertilizer process and they can be combined with other ingredients to form various fertilizers for on-farm use.
