County getting $20 million fertilizer plant to recycle waste

Orange will be getting a new $20 million plant to produce fertilizer using waste products from the seafood industry.

Construction of the plant is to begin "immediately," according to news releases.

The plant will be the second for Tidal Grow AgriScience, which currently has a production facility in Pacific County, Washington. The Orange plant will be built with a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The products include brand names Oceanic and SeaPhos. They are considered "bioactive carbon-based" fertilizers.

Orange County Judge John Gothia said Tuesday the company has not asked for a tax abatement from the county and other entities.

He said he got word of the plant this week and went by property the company bought on Tulane Road. The site is outside the Orange city limits in county jurisdiction, about a quarter of a mile east of the intersection with State Highway 62 South.

The USDA in a press release said the Orange location was chosen because of being close to sources with the byproducts to produce the fertilizer, along with being good as a distribution center to send the products across the country.

The company's website and LinkedIn information says it is privately held and based in Bellingham, Washington, and has up to 50 employees.

The Orange County site will be Tidal Grow's second plant. The USDA is also providing a $2.3 million grant to expand the company's Washington plant. The two grants will help the company triple its amount of production.

The online publication FertilizerDaily.com reports the expansions show a national effort "to support climate-smart agricultural practices."

The USDA’s investment is geared toward meeting the rising demand for domestically produced resilient and effective fertilizers, offering a sustainable alternative amid global supply chain disruptions.

The publication wrote that "Norm Davy, chief commercial officer at Tidal Grow AgriScience, emphasized the importance of this development for American farmers, who are increasingly in need of innovative solutions to enhance soil and plant health. The company’s fertilizers, which are derived from up-cycled waste from the seafood industry, aim to address some of the most pressing challenges in agriculture today."

The USDA press release said the grant is an investment from the Biden-Harris administration to meet the demand for U.S. made fertilizers. That need became evident in the past few years with the disruptions in the global supply chain.

Also, the use recycling bio-wastes once discarded helps the environment.

iGrow News reports Tidal Grow is investing another $10 million to expand facilities and research to introduce new technologies and products during the next three to five years.