U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins signed a new five-year contract with Perimeter Solutions to supply American-made fire retardant for the U.S. Forest Service and Department of the Interior’s aerial wildland fire suppression programs. The agreement emphasizes significant taxpayer savings while strengthening domestic manufacturing by keeping fire-retardant production entirely in the United States.
Secretary Rollins highlighted that the contract aligns with a focus on fiscal responsibility and supporting American communities. She noted that the agreement locks in historic cost savings, brings the full fire-retardant supply chain back to American soil, and enhances wildfire response efforts, protecting lives and communities while promoting national resilience.
Through this contract, the USDA secured $153 million in total savings over the next five years. These savings include direct price reductions and additional cost efficiencies achieved by transitioning to full-service bases and powder retardants by 2030. The contract also guarantees that all fire-retardant manufacturing will remain in the United States and that the USDA receives the lowest global market price, maximizing value for taxpayers.
Fire retardants are critical tools for federal, state, and tribal wildfire organizations, helping slow wildfire spread and reduce intensity so ground crews can establish containment lines safely. In 2024, federal agencies dropped 48.6 million gallons of fire retardant, all classified by the Environmental Protection Agency as “practically non-toxic” to mammals, humans, and aquatic species, ensuring both effectiveness and environmental safety.
