Hardee County commissioners approve Mosaic annual reports, require Mosaic Fertilizer LLC financial assurances by July 8, 2025

Hardee County commissioners on an April meeting unanimously approved a set of annual reports and reclamation approvals for Mosaic Fertilizer LLC and amended the Ona Mine boundary, while directing Mosaic to provide supplemental financial assurances specific to Mosaic Fertilizer LLC by July 8, 2025.

County mining coordinator Deb Butler told the board that staff "recommends approval" of the annual reports and related reclamation applications, in each case with a condition that "Mosaic will submit supplemental financial assurances specific to Mosaic Fertilizer LLC meeting the requirements of the Hardee County Mining Ordinance by 07/08/2025." The board voted to adopt the resolutions and reclamation approvals unanimously.

The package approved by the board included annual reports and associated resolutions for Fort Greene Mine Southern Reserves (Resolution 2025-16), Fort Greene and Payne Creek Mine Extension (2025-17), Fort Meade Mine North Hardee Extension (2025-18), North Pasture Mine (2025-19), South Fort Meade Mine Eastern Reserves and Extension (2025-20), Ona Mine annual report (2025-21), South Pasture Mine (2025-22), and reclamation resolutions for multiple Logical Reclamation Units (LRUs) across the Fort Greene, Fort Meade and South Pasture mines. The board also approved an amendment to the Master Mining and Reclamation Plan and a major special exception for the Ona Mine boundary (Resolution 2025-23).

Why it matters: the financial-assurance condition responds to commissioners' expressed concern about who would be responsible for reclamation obligations if a local operating subsidiary were to alter its financial position. Commissioner Chancey raised that concern directly: if "Mosaic Fertilizer goes you know, decides to shut the doors, and now we've just released liability for Mosaic Company," he said, asking what assurances the county would have. Russell Schweiss, senior director of land resource management for Mosaic, told the board, "That's exactly what we're gonna do…deliver to you all in August," saying Mosaic will provide measures to reduce the county's vulnerability.

Key facts and board direction - Deb Butler (mining coordinator/staff) recommended approval of each annual report and the reclamation approval applications, and entered into the record that the reclamation submittal covered a total of 2,195.4 acres across several LRUs for the 2025 reclamation request. - For the Ona Mine boundary amendment, staff said the request added roughly 178.3 acres (five parcels and three road segments totaling approximately 178.3 acres adjacent to the existing Ona Mine) and removed about 47.4 acres that had transferred ownership as part of the Smith exchange parcels. Staff concluded the change does not constitute a "substantial deviation" under Section 13.02.06 J02 of the Hardee County Unified Land Development Code because it is below the 10% threshold relative to the original approved mine area. - Staff told the board the overall project area after the change would be approximately 26,984 acres, with roughly 22,907 acres anticipated to be disturbed and 4,077 acres to remain undisturbed. The original approval referenced an initial mine site of about 26,853 acres; the 10% threshold would be an additional 2,685 acres. - Commissioners raised questions about insurance, financial assurance, road access permits and a reported discrepancy in reclamation liability estimates. Commissioner Miller noted a discrepancy between a reported accrual of about $289 million in reclamation liability (of which 60% is in Hardee County) and Mosaic's reported financial-responsibility number of roughly $173 million; the county's ordinance-based estimate referenced an approximate value of $15,000 per acre. Staff said the discrepancy needs further review and that staff and the county's new counsel will examine the audits and assurances.

Discussion highlights - Commissioner Flores moved multiple motions to approve the various annual reports and reclamation approvals; each motion was seconded (commonly by Commissioner Miller or Commissioner Wells) and passed unanimously. - Commissioner Chancey and other commissioners pressed staff and Mosaic on whether the county can rely on the parent company (Mosaic Company) financials versus the local operating entity, Mosaic Fertilizer LLC. County staff explained the county can enforce agreements only with the party named in the permits and codes and therefore needs assurances specific to Mosaic Fertilizer LLC. - Russell Schweiss (Mosaic) told the board the company will provide the requested measures and documentation to staff in July and to the board in August, saying, "we're gonna come up with measures that ensure you don't feel that vulnerability. And that's what the goal is to deliver to you all in August." (quote as spoken in the meeting.)

Formal actions and next steps - The board approved all listed annual reports, reclamation approvals, and the Ona Mine boundary amendment by unanimous vote. Each approval included the staff-proposed condition requiring supplemental financial assurances specific to Mosaic Fertilizer LLC by 07/08/2025. - Staff advised the board the county's new counsel and staff will review the financial-assurance documents once submitted, and the county will return to the board in August for further consideration of the assurances and any additional measures.

Context and background - Staff entered Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) release letters and photographs into the public record as part of the reclamation approval applications. - The county's Unified Land Development Code treats any acreage increase equal to or greater than 10% of the approved project area as a "substantial deviation"; staff calculated the proposed changes remain under that threshold. - The board discussed prior tours of mine sites and earlier reporting, and staff noted that some operational details (such as certain access driveways) were already permitted and coordinated with road-and-bridge and right-of-way agents.

Ending: The board's approvals allow Mosaic Fertilizer LLC to proceed under the amended conditions and directs staff and Mosaic to return with specified supplemental financial assurances for the county's review by July 8, 2025, with staff planning to present the documentation to the board in August.