Item 1. Business.

OVERVIEW

The Mosaic Company is the world’s leading producer and marketer of concentrated phosphate and potash crop nutrients. We are the largest integrated phosphate producer in the world and one of the largest producers and marketers of phosphate-based animal feed ingredients in North America. We are one of the four largest potash producers in the world. Through our broad product offering, we are a single source supplier of phosphate- and potash-based crop nutrients and animal feed ingredients. We serve customers in approximately 40 countries. We mine phosphate rock in Florida and process rock into finished phosphate products at facilities in Florida and Louisiana. We mine potash in Saskatchewan and New Mexico. We have other production, blending or distribution operations in Brazil, China, India and Paraguay, as well as strategic equity investments in a phosphate rock mine in the Bayovar region in Peru and a joint venture formed to develop a phosphate rock mine and chemical complexes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Our distribution operations serve the top four nutrient-consuming countries in the world: China, India, the United States and Brazil.

The Mosaic Company is a Delaware corporation that was incorporated in March 2004 and serves as the parent company of the business that was formed through the October 2004 combination of IMC Global Inc. and the fertilizer businesses of Cargill, Incorporated. We are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “MOS” and are headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota.

We conduct our business through wholly and majority-owned subsidiaries as well as businesses in which we own less than a majority or a non-controlling interest. We are organized into three reportable business segments: Phosphates, Potash and International Distribution. Intersegment eliminations, mark-to-market gains/losses on derivatives, debt expenses, Streamsong Resort ^® results of operations and our legacy Argentina and Chile results are included within Corporate, Eliminations and Other.

The following charts show the respective contributions to 2016 sales volumes, net sales and operating earnings for each of these business segments:

 

Phosphates Segment — We are the largest integrated phosphate producer in the world and one of the largest producers and marketers of phosphate-based animal feed ingredients in North America. We sell phosphate-based crop nutrients and animal feed ingredients throughout North America and internationally. We account for approximately 14% of estimated global annual production and 75% of estimated North American annual production of concentrated phosphate crop nutrients.

Potash Segment — We are one of the four largest potash producers in the world. We sell potash throughout North America and internationally, principally as fertilizer, but also for use in industrial applications and, to a lesser degree, as animal feed ingredients. We account for approximately 12% of estimated global annual potash production and 39% of estimated North American annual potash production.

International Distribution Segment — This segment consists of sales offices, crop nutrient blending and bagging facilities, port terminals and warehouses in Brazil, Paraguay, India and China. We also have a single superphosphate ( "SSP" ) plant in Brazil that produces crop nutrients by mixing sulfuric acid with phosphate rock. Our International Distribution segment serves as a distribution outlet for our Phosphates and Potash segments, but also purchases and markets certain products from other suppliers, generally to complement sales of our own product.

As used in this report:  

Cargill Transaction

In May 2011, Cargill divested its interest in us in a split-off (the “ Split-off ”) to its stockholders (the “ Exchanging Cargill Stockholders ”) and a debt exchange (“ Debt Exchange ”) with certain Cargill debt holders (the “ Exchanging Cargill Debt Holders ”). The agreements relating to the Cargill Transaction contemplated an orderly distribution of the approximately 64% (285.8 million) of our shares that Cargill formerly held. An aggregate of 157.0 million of these shares were sold by certain of the Exchanging Cargill Stockholders and the Exchanging Cargill Debt Holders in underwritten public secondary offerings or to us, and all other shares (approximately 128.8 million shares in the aggregate) of our Class A Common Stock (“ Class A Shares ”) received by the Exchanging Cargill Stockholders in the split-off were subsequently either repurchased by us in 2014 or converted to regular shares of our Common Stock as described in Note 18 of our Consolidated Financial Statements. No Class A Shares remain outstanding and none are authorized under our Restated Certificate of Incorporation.

We have included additional information about the Cargill Transaction in Note 18 of our Consolidated Financial Statements, which information is incorporated herein by reference, and certain of the principal transaction documents related to the Cargill Transaction are incorporated by reference as exhibits to this report.

Business Developments during 2016

We took the following steps toward achieving our strategic priorities:  

production facilities to be approximately $8.0 billion . We expect this amount to be funded through external debt facilities, and investments by the joint venture members.

We have included additional information about these and other developments in our business during 2016 in our Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations (“ Management’s Analysis ”) and in the Notes to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

BUSINESS SEGMENT INFORMATION

The discussion below of our business segment operations should be read in conjunction with the following information that we have included in this report:  

Phosphates Segment

Our Phosphates business segment owns and operates mines and production facilities in Florida which produce concentrated phosphate crop nutrients and phosphate-based animal feed ingredients, and processing plants in Louisiana which produce concentrated phosphate crop nutrients.

On March 17, 2014, we completed our acquisition (the " CF Phosphate Assets Acquisition ") of the Florida phosphate assets and assumption of certain related liabilities of CF Industries, Inc. (" CF "), which included the 25,000-acre South Pasture phosphate mine and beneficiation plant in Hardee County, Florida, a phosphate manufacturing facility in Plant City, Florida, and ammonia terminal and finished product warehouse facilities in Tampa.

U.S. Phosphate Crop Nutrients and Animal Feed Ingredients

Our U.S. phosphates operations have capacity to produce approximately 5.3 million  tonnes of phosphoric acid (“ P 2 O 5 ”) per year, or about 10% of world annual capacity and about 60% of North American annual capacity. Phosphoric acid is produced by reacting finely ground phosphate rock with sulfuric acid. Phosphoric acid is the key building block for the production of high analysis or concentrated phosphate crop nutrients and animal feed products, and is the most comprehensive measure of phosphate capacity and production and a commonly used benchmark in our industry. Our U.S. phosphoric acid production totaled approximately 4.5 million tonnes during 2016 . We account for approximately 10% of estimated global annual production and 61% of estimated North American annual output.

Our phosphate crop nutrient products are marketed worldwide to crop nutrient manufacturers, distributors, retailers and farmers. Our principal phosphate crop nutrient products are:  

Production of our animal feed ingredients products is located at our New Wales, Florida facility. We market our feed phosphate primarily under the leading brand names of Biofos ^® and Nexfos ^® .

Our primary phosphate crop nutrient production facilities are located in central Florida and Louisiana. The following map shows the locations of each of our phosphate concentrates plants in the United States and the locations of each of our active and planned phosphate mines in Florida, other than Ona as its reserves have been allocated to other active mines:

Annual capacity by plant as of December 31, 2016 and production volumes by plant for 2016 are listed below:  

The phosphoric acid produced at Uncle Sam is shipped to Faustina, where it is used to produce DAP, MAP and MicroEssentials ^® . Our Faustina plant also manufactures ammonia that is mostly consumed in our concentrate plants.

We produced approximately 8.9 million tonnes of concentrated phosphate crop nutrients during 2016 and accounted for approximately 14% of estimated world annual output and 75% of estimated North American annual production.

Phosphate Rock

Phosphate rock is the key mineral used to produce phosphate crop nutrients and feed phosphate. Our phosphate rock production totaled approximately 14.2 million tonnes in 2016 and accounted for approximately 7% of estimated world annual production and 54% of estimated North American annual production. We are the world’s second largest miner of phosphate rock and currently operate four mines with a combined annual capacity of approximately 17.2 million tonnes. Production of one tonne of DAP requires between 1.6 and 1.7 tonnes of phosphate rock.

All of our wholly owned phosphate mines and related mining operations are located in central Florida. During 2016 , we operated four active mines: Four Corners, South Fort Meade, Wingate and South Pasture. The Hookers Prairie mine's reserves were exhausted during 2014. We plan to develop Ona and DeSoto reserves to replace reserves that will be depleted at various times during the next decade.

The phosphate deposits of Florida are of sedimentary origin and are part of a phosphate-bearing province that extends from southern Florida north along the Atlantic coast into southern Virginia. Our active phosphate mines are primarily located in what is known as the Bone Valley Member of the Peace River Formation in the Central Florida Phosphate District. The southern portions of the Four Corners and Wingate mines are in what is referred to as the Undifferentiated Peace River Formation, in which the Ona and DeSoto reserves we plan to develop are also located. Phosphate mining has been conducted in the Central Florida Phosphate District since the late 1800’s. The potentially mineable portion of the district encompasses an area approximately 80 miles in length in a north-south direction and approximately 40 miles in width.

We extract phosphate ore using large surface mining machines that we own called “draglines.” Prior to extracting the ore, the draglines must first remove a 10 to 50 foot layer of sandy overburden. At our Wingate mine, we also utilize dredges to remove the overburden and mine the ore. We then process the ore at beneficiation plants that we own at each active mine where the ore goes through washing, screening, sizing and flotation processes designed to separate the phosphate rock from sands, clays and other foreign materials . Prior to commencing operations at any of our planned future mines, we may need to acquire new draglines or move existing draglines to the mines and, unless the beneficiation plant at an existing mine were used, construct a beneficiation plant.

The following table shows, for each of our phosphate mines, annual capacity as of December 31, 2016 and rock production volume and grade for the years 2016 , 2015 , and 2014:

 

mining at any particular time, maintenance and turnaround time, accidents, mechanical failure, weather conditions, and other operating conditions, as well as the effect of recent initiatives intended to improve operational excellence.

Reserves

We estimate our phosphate rock reserves based upon exploration core drilling as well as technical and economic analyses to determine that reserves can be economically mined. Proven (measured) reserves are those resources of sufficient concentration to meet minimum physical, chemical and economic criteria related to our current product standards and mining and production practices. Our estimates of probable (indicated) reserves are based on information similar to that used for proven reserves, but sites for drilling are farther apart or are otherwise less adequately spaced than for proven reserves, although the degree of assurance is high enough to assume continuity between such sites. Proven reserves are determined using a minimum drill hole spacing in two locations per 40 acre block. Probable reserves have less than two drill holes per 40 acre block, but geological data provides a high degree of assurance that continuity exists between sites.

The following table sets forth our proven and probable phosphate reserves as of December 31, 2016 :

We generally own the reserves shown for active mines in the table above, with the only significant exceptions being further described below:  

In light of the long-term nature of our rights to our reserves, we expect to be able to mine all reported reserves that are not currently owned prior to termination or expiration of our rights. Additional information regarding permitting is included in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors”, and under “Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Matters—Operating Requirements and Impacts—Permitting” in our Management’s Analysis.

Investments in Joint Ventures

We have a 35% economic interest in a joint venture which owns the Miski Mayo phosphate rock mine in the Bayovar region of Peru. Our investment in the Miski Mayo Mine and related commercial offtake supply agreement to purchase a share of the phosphate rock from the Miski Mayo Mine allows us to supplement our internally produced rock to meet our overall fertilizer production needs. The Miski Mayo Mine’s annual production capacity is 3.9 million tonnes. Upon the closing of our proposed acquisition of Vale Fertilizantes S.A. we will acquire an additional 40% economic interest in the Miski Mayo joint venture, which will bring our aggregate interest to 75%.

We own a 25% interest in MWSPC and in connection with our equity share, we will market approximately 25% of the MWSPC's production. MWSPC is developing a mine and two chemical complexes that are presently expected to produce phosphate fertilizers and other downstream phosphates products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We currently estimate that the cost to develop and construct the integrated phosphate production facilities (the " Project ") will approximate $8.0 billion , which we expect to be funded primarily through investments by us, Ma'aden and SABIC, and through borrowing arrangements and other external project financing facilities (" Funding Facilities "). We currently estimate that our cash investment in the Project, including the amount we have invested to date, will approximate $850 million . Our cash investment in the Project at December 31, 2016 and as of the date of this report was $707 million . We expect our future cash contributions to be approximately $143 million. The greenfield project is being built in the northern region of Saudi Arabia at Wa’ad Al Shamal Minerals Industrial City, and includes further expansion of processing plants in Ras Al Khair Minerals Industrial City, which is located on the east coast of Saudi Arabia. The facilities are expected to have a production capacity of approximately 3.5 million tonnes of finished product per year. The Project is expected to benefit from the availability of key raw nutrients from sources within Saudi Arabia. Ammonia operations commenced in late 2016 and production of finished phosphate products is expected to begin in 2017.

On June 30, 2014, MWSPC entered into Funding Facilities with a consortium of 20 financial institutions for a total amount of approximately $5.0 billion. In January 2016, MWSPC announced that it had received the approval of the Saudi Industrial Development Fund (" SIDF ") for future Funding Facilities in the total amount of approximately $1.1 billion, subject to the finalization of definitive agreements. We currently expect that MWSPC will work to finalize definitive agreements for loans from SIDF in the lower amount of approximately $560 million by April 30, 2017. The terms of the June 30, 2014 Funding Facilities and the proposed future Funding Facilities are further discussed in Note 8 of our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Sulfur

We use molten sulfur at our phosphates concentrates plants to produce sulfuric acid primarily for use in our production of phosphoric acid. We purchased approximately 4.2 million long tons of sulfur during 2016 . We purchase the majority of this sulfur from North American oil and natural gas refiners who are required to remove or recover sulfur during the refining process. Production of one tonne of DAP requires approximately 0.40 long tons of sulfur. We procure our sulfur from multiple sources and receive it by truck, rail, barge and vessel, either direct to our phosphate plants or have it sent for gathering to terminals that are located on the U.S. gulf coast. The new sulfur melter at our New Wales facility became operational in the first quarter of 2016 and with the melter we are now able to purchase formed sulfur, which is more broadly available than molten sulfur. Formed sulfur for the melter is received through two Tampa ports, then delivered by truck to the New Wales facility. The sulfur melter has the capability to melt over one million long tons of sulfur annually, allowing us to leverage economic benefits within the global sulfur marketplace.

We own and operate sulfur terminals in Houston, Texas and Riverview, Florida. We also lease terminal space in Tampa, Florida and Galveston and Beaumont, Texas. We contract for the operation of three ocean-going barges and three tugs that transport molten sulfur from the Texas terminals to Tampa and then onward by truck to our Florida phosphate plants. In addition, we own a 50% equity interest in Gulf Sulphur Services Ltd., LLLP (“ Gulf Sulphur Services ”), which is operated by our joint venture partner. Gulf Sulphur Services has a sulfur transportation and terminaling business in the Gulf of Mexico, and handles these functions for a substantial portion of our Florida sulfur volume. Our sulfur logistic assets also include a large fleet of leased railcars that supplement our marine sulfur logistic system. Our Louisiana operations are served by truck and barge from nearby refineries.

Although sulfur is readily available from many different suppliers and can be transported to our phosphate facilities by a variety of means, sulfur is an important raw material used in our business that has in the past been and may in the future be the subject of volatile pricing and availability. Alternative transportation and terminaling facilities might not have sufficient capacity to fully serve all of our facilities in the event of a disruption to current transportation or terminaling facilities. Changes in the price of sulfur or disruptions to sulfur transportation or terminaling facilities could have a material impact on our business. We have included a discussion of sulfur prices in our Management’s Analysis.

Ammonia

We use ammonia together with phosphoric acid to produce DAP, MAP and MicroEssentials ^® . We consumed approximately 1.5 million tonnes of ammonia during 2016 . Production of one tonne of DAP requires approximately 0.23 tonnes of ammonia.

Our Florida ammonia needs are currently supplied under multi-year contracts with both domestic and offshore producers. Ammonia for our New Wales and Riverview plants is terminaled through an owned ammonia facility at Port Sutton, Florida. Ammonia for our Bartow plant is terminaled through another ammonia facility owned and operated by a third party at Port Sutton, Florida pursuant to an agreement that provides for service through 2019 with automatic renewal for an additional two-year period unless either party terminates as provided in the agreement. Ammonia is transported by pipeline from the terminals to our production facilities. We have service agreements with the operators of the pipelines for Bartow, New Wales, and Riverview, which provide service through June 30, 2017; the service agreements may be extended in one year increments unless either party objects. Ammonia for our Plant City facility is terminaled through an owned facility in Tampa, Florida, that was acquired as part of the CF Phosphate Assets Acquisition. This ammonia is transported by rail via leased railcars. The leases for rail cars expire in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

In 2013, we entered into an ammonia supply agreement with CF (the " CF Ammonia Supply Agreement ") that commenced in 2017, under which Mosaic agreed to purchase approximately 545,000 to 725,000 tonnes of ammonia per year during a term that may extend until December 31, 2032 at a price tied to the prevailing price of U.S. natural gas. For 2017, our remaining minimum purchase obligation is approximately 410,000 tonnes following our entry into a separate arrangement with CF under which we were deemed to have purchased approximately 135,000 tonnes in exchange for providing ammonia storage space and use of related terminal facilities to CF. A specialized tug and barge unit is currently under construction for use in transporting the ammonia and is expected to be operational in the second half of 2017. Additional information about the unit and its financing is provided in Note 16 of our Consolidated Financial Statements. Upon completion of the unit, we expect a majority of the ammonia purchased under the CF Ammonia Supply Agreement to be received by barge at the port of Tampa and delivered to our Florida facilities as described in the preceding paragraph. While the market prices of natural gas and

ammonia have changed since we executed this agreement in 2013, we continue to expect that the agreement will provide us a competitive advantage over its term, including by providing a reliable long-term ammonia supply.

We produce ammonia at Faustina, Louisiana primarily for our own consumption. Our annual capacity is approximately 500,000 tonnes. From time to time we sell surplus ammonia to unrelated parties. In addition, under certain circumstances we are permitted to receive ammonia at Faustina under the CF Ammonia Supply Agreement.

Although ammonia is readily available from many different suppliers and can be transported to our phosphates facilities by a variety of means, ammonia is an important raw material used in our business that has in the past been and may in the future be the subject of volatile pricing, and alternative transportation and terminaling facilities might not have sufficient capacity to fully serve all of our facilities in the event of a disruption to existing transportation or terminaling facilities. Changes in the price of ammonia or disruptions to ammonia transportation or terminaling could have a material impact on our business. We have included a discussion of ammonia prices in our Management’s Analysis.

Natural Gas for Phosphates

Natural gas is the primary raw material used to manufacture ammonia. At our Faustina facility, ammonia is manufactured on site. The majority of natural gas is purchased through firm delivery contracts based on published index-based prices and is sourced from Texas and Louisiana via pipelines interconnected to the Henry Hub. We use over-the-counter swap and/or option contracts to forward price portions of future gas purchases. We typically purchase approximately 18 million MMbtu of natural gas per year for use in ammonia production at Faustina.

Our ammonia requirements for our Florida operations are purchased rather than manufactured on site, so while we typically purchase approximately two million MMbtu of natural gas per year in Florida, it is only used as a thermal fuel for various phosphate production processes.

Florida Land Holdings

We are a significant landowner in the State of Florida, which has in the past been considered one of the fastest areas of population growth in the United States. We own land comprising over 290,000 acres held in fee simple title in central Florida, and have the right to mine additional properties which contain phosphate rock reserves. Some of our land holdings are needed to operate our Phosphates business, while a portion of our land assets, such as certain reclaimed properties, are no longer required for our ongoing operations. As a general matter, more of our reclaimed property becomes available for uses other than for phosphate operations each year. Our real property assets are generally comprised of concentrates plants, port facilities, phosphate mines and other property which we have acquired through our presence in Florida. Our long-term future land use strategy is to optimize the value of our land assets. For example, we developed Streamsong Resort ^® (the " Resort "), a destination resort and conference center, in an area of previously mined land as part of our long-term business strategy to maximize the value and utility of our extensive land holdings in Florida. In addition to the two golf courses and clubhouse that were opened in December 2012, the Resort and conference center opened in January 2014. In 2015, in response to market demand, we began construction of a third golf course and ancillary facilities, which are expected to be completed in 2017.

Potash Segment

We are one of the leading potash producers in the world. We mine and process potash in Canada and the United States and sell potash in North America and internationally. The term “potash” applies generally to the common salts of potassium. Muriate of potash (“ MOP ”) is the primary source of potassium for the crop nutrient industry. Red MOP has traces of iron oxide. The granular and standard grade Red MOP products are well suited for direct fertilizer application and bulk blending. White MOP has a higher percent potassium oxide (“ K 2 O ”). White MOP, besides being well suited for the agricultural market, is used in many industrial applications. We also produce a double sulfate of potash magnesia product, which we market under our brand name K-Mag ^® , at our Carlsbad, New Mexico facility.

Our potash products are marketed worldwide to crop nutrient manufacturers, distributors and retailers and are also used in the manufacturing of mixed crop nutrients and, to a lesser extent, in animal feed ingredients. We also sell potash to customers for industrial use. In addition, our potash products are used for de-icing and as a water softener regenerant.

In 2016 , we operated three potash mines in Canada, including two shaft mines with a total of three production shafts and one solution mine, as well as one potash shaft mine in the United States. We also own related refineries at each of the mines.

We continue the expansion of capacity in our Potash segment with the K3 shafts at our Esterhazy mine, which are expected to begin mining potash ore in 2017 and following ramp-up to add an estimated 0.9 million tonnes to our annual potash

operational capacity. This will provide for an infrastructure to move ore from K3 to the K1 and K2 mills, giving us the flexibility to optimize production at K1, K2 and K3 in order to mitigate risk from current and future brine inflows.

It is possible that the costs of remedial efforts at Esterhazy may further increase in the future and that such an increase could be material, or, in the extreme scenario, that the brine inflows, risk to employees or remediation costs may increase to a level which would cause us to change our mining processes or abandon the mines. See “Key Factors that can Affect Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Potash Net Sales and Gross Margin” in our Management’s Analysis and “Our Esterhazy mine has had an inflow of salt saturated brine for more than 30 years” in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in this report, which are incorporated herein by reference, for a discussion of costs, risks and other information relating to the brine inflows.

The map below shows the location of each of our potash mines.

 

Our current potash annualized operational capacity totals 9.9 million tonnes of product per year and accounts for approximately 14% of world annual capacity and 43% of North American annual capacity. Production during 2016 totaled 7.6 million tonnes. We account for approximately 12% of estimated world annual production and 39% of estimated North American annual production.

The following table shows, for each of our potash mines, annual capacity as of December 31, 2016 and volume of mined ore, average grade and finished product output for years 2016 , 2015 and 2014 :

Canadian Mines

We operate three Canadian potash facilities all located in the southern half of the Province of Saskatchewan, including our solution mine at Belle Plaine, two interconnected mine shafts at our Esterhazy shaft mine and our shaft mine at Colonsay.

Extensive potash deposits are found in the southern half of the Province of Saskatchewan. The potash ore is contained in a predominantly rock salt formation known as the Prairie Evaporites. The Prairie Evaporites deposits are bounded by limestone formations and contain the potash beds. Three potash deposits of economic importance occur in Saskatchewan: the Esterhazy, Belle Plaine and Patience Lake members. The Patience Lake member is mined at Colonsay, and the Esterhazy member at Esterhazy. At Belle Plaine all three members are mined. Each of the major potash members contains several potash beds of different thicknesses and grades. The particular beds mined at Colonsay and Esterhazy have a mining height of 11 and 8 feet, respectively. At Belle Plaine several beds of different thicknesses are mined.

Our potash mines in Canada produce MOP exclusively. Esterhazy and Colonsay utilize shaft mining while Belle Plaine utilizes solution mining technology. Traditional potash shaft mining takes place underground at depths of over 1,000 meters where continuous mining machines cut out the ore face and load it onto conveyor belts. The ore is then crushed, moved to storage bins and hoisted to refineries above ground. In contrast, our solution mining process involves heated brine, which is pumped through a “cluster” to dissolve the potash in the ore beds at a depth of approximately 1,500 meters. A cluster consists of a series of boreholes drilled into the potash ore. A separate distribution center at each cluster controls the brine flow. The solution containing dissolved potash and salt is pumped to a refinery where sodium chloride, a co-product of this process, is separated from the potash through the use of evaporation and crystallization techniques. Concurrently, the solution is pumped into a cooling pond where additional crystallization occurs and the resulting product is recovered via a floating dredge. Refined potash is dewatered, dried and sized. Our Canadian operations produce 13 different MOP products, including industrial grades, many through proprietary processes.

Our potash mineral rights in the Province of Saskatchewan consist of the following:

We believe that our mineral rights in Saskatchewan are sufficient to support current operations for more than a century. Leases are generally renewable at our option for successive terms, generally 21 years each, except that certain of the acres shown above as “Leased from others” are leased under long-term leases with terms (including renewals at our option) that expire from 2023 to 2170.

We pay Canadian resource taxes consisting of the Potash Production Tax and resource surcharge. The Potash Production Tax is a Saskatchewan provincial tax on potash production and consists of a base payment and a profits tax. We also pay a percentage of the value of resource sales from our Saskatchewan mines. In addition to the Canadian resource taxes, royalties are payable to the mineral owners in respect of potash reserves or production of potash. We have included a further discussion of the Canadian resource taxes and royalties in our Management’s Analysis.

Since December 1985, we have effectively managed an inflow of salt saturated brine into our Esterhazy mine. At various times since then, we have experienced changing amounts and patterns of brine inflows at Esterhazy. To date, the brine inflow, including our remediation efforts to control it, has not had a material impact on our production processes or volumes. The volume of the net brine inflow (the rate of inflow less the amount we are pumping out of the mine) or net outflow (when we are pumping more brine out of the mine than the rate of inflow) fluctuates and is dependent on a number of variables, such as the location of the source of the inflow; the magnitude of the inflow; available pumping, surface and underground brine storage capacities; underground injection well capacities, and the effectiveness of calcium chloride and cementatious grout used to reduce or prevent the inflows, among other factors. As a result of these brine inflows, we incur expenditures, certain of which have been capitalized and others that have been charged to expense, in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.

It is possible that the costs of remedial efforts at Esterhazy may further increase in the future and that such an increase could be material, or, in the extreme scenario, that the brine inflows, risk to employees or remediation costs may increase to a level which would cause us to change our mining processes or abandon the mine. See “Key Factors that can Affect Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Potash Net Sales and Gross Margin” in our Management’s Analysis and “Our Esterhazy mine has had an inflow of salt saturated brine for more than 30 years” in Part I, Item 1A, “Risk Factors” in this report, which are incorporated herein by reference, for a discussion of costs, risks and other information relating to the brine inflows. The K3 shafts at our Esterhazy mine are part of our potash expansion plan, which is also designed to mitigate risk from current and future inflows.

Due to the ongoing brine inflow at Esterhazy, subject to exceptions that are limited in scope and amount, we are unable to obtain insurance coverage for underground operations for water incursion problems. Like other potash producers’ shaft mines, our Colonsay, Saskatchewan, and Carlsbad, New Mexico, mines are also subject to the risks of inflow of water as a result of their shaft mining operations, but water inflow risks at these mines are included in our insurance coverage subject to deductibles, limited coverage terms and lower sub-limits negotiated with our insurers.

United States Mine

In the United States, we have a shaft mine located in Carlsbad, New Mexico. The ore reserves at our Carlsbad mine are made up of langbeinite, a double sulfate of potassium and magnesium. This type of potash reserve occurs in a predominantly rock salt formation known as the Salado Formation. The McNutt Member of this formation consists of eleven units of economic importance, of which we currently mine one. The McNutt Member’s evaporite deposits are interlayered with anhydrite, polyhalite, potassium salts, clay, and minor amounts of sandstone and siltstone.

Continuous underground mining methods are utilized to extract the ore. Drum type mining machines are used to cut the langbeinite ore from the face. Mined ore is then loaded onto conveyors, transported to storage areas, and then hoisted to the surface for further processing at our refinery.

Effective January 1, 2015, we only produce a double sulfate of potash magnesia product, which we market under our brand name K-Mag ^® , at our Carlsbad facility. Prior to 2015, we also produced MOP at this facility.

At the Carlsbad facility, we mine and refine potash from 77,141 acres of mineral rights. We control these reserves pursuant to either (i) leases from the U.S. government that, in general, continue in effect at our option (subject to readjustment by the U.S. government every 20 years) or (ii) leases from the State of New Mexico that continue as long as we continue to produce from them. These reserves contain an estimated total of 161 million tonnes of potash mineralization (calculated after estimated extraction losses) in one mining bed evaluated at thicknesses ranging from 5.5 feet to in excess of 11 feet. At average refinery rates, these ore reserves are estimated to be sufficient to yield 32 million tonnes of langbeinite concentrates with an average grade of approximately 21% K 2 O. At projected rates of production, we estimate that Carlsbad’s reserves of langbeinite are sufficient to support operations for approximately 48 years.

Royalties for the U.S. operations amounted to approximately $6.7 million in 2016 . These royalties are established by the U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, in the case of the Carlsbad leases from the U.S. government, and pursuant to provisions set forth in the leases, in the case of the Carlsbad state leases.

Reserves

Our estimates below of our potash reserves and non-reserve potash mineralization are based on exploration drill hole data, seismic data and actual mining results over more than 35 years. Proven reserves are estimated by identifying material in place that is delineated on at least two sides and material in place within a half-mile radius or distance from an existing sampled mine entry or exploration core hole. Probable reserves are estimated by identifying material in place within a one mile radius from an existing sampled mine entry or exploration core hole. Historical extraction ratios from the many years of mining results are then applied to both types of material to estimate the proven and probable reserves. We believe that all reserves and non-reserve potash mineralization reported below are potentially recoverable using existing production shaft and refinery locations.

Our estimated recoverable potash ore reserves and non-reserve potash mineralization as of December 31, 2016 for each of our mines are as follows:

As discussed more fully above, we either own the reserves and mineralization shown above or lease them pursuant to mineral leases that generally remain in effect or are renewable at our option, or are long-term leases. Accordingly, we expect to be able to mine all reported reserves that are leased prior to termination or expiration of the existing leases.

Natural Gas

Natural gas is used at our Belle Plaine solution mine as a fuel to produce steam and to dry potash products. The steam is used to generate electricity and provide thermal energy to the evaporation, crystallization and solution mining processes. The Belle Plaine solution mine typically accounts for approximately 79% of our Potash segment’s total natural gas requirements for potash production. At our shaft mines, natural gas is used as a fuel to heat fresh air supplied to the shaft mines and for drying potash products. Combined natural gas usage for both the solution and shaft mines totaled 17 million MMbtu during 2016 . We purchase our natural gas requirements on firm delivery index price-based physical contracts and on short term spot-priced physical contracts. Our Canadian operations purchase all of their physical gas in Saskatchewan using AECO price indices references and transport the gas to our plants via the TransGas pipeline system. The U.S. potash operation in New Mexico purchases physical gas in the southwest respective regional market using the TransWestern El Paso Permian Basin market pricing reference. We use financial derivative contracts to manage the pricing on portions of our natural gas requirements.

International Distribution Segment

Our International Distribution segment markets phosphate-, potash- and nitrogen-based crop nutrients and animal feed ingredients and provides other ancillary services to wholesalers, cooperatives, independent retailers, and farmers in South America and the Asia-Pacific regions. In 2016 , our International Distribution segment purchased 2.2 million tonnes of phosphate-based products from our Phosphates segment and 2.0 million tonnes of potash products from our Potash segment and Canpotex. Our international distribution operations also purchase phosphates, potash and nitrogen products from unrelated third parties, which we either use to produce blended crop nutrients (“ Blends ”) or for resale. Our International Distribution segment provides our Phosphates and Potash segments access to key markets outside of North America.

Our International Distribution segment’s production facilities include blending plants and an SSP plant that produces crop nutrients by mixing sulfuric acid with phosphate rock. A blending plant combines several crop nutrient products to make a mixture tailored to specific crop requirements. We lease various warehouses depending on sales and production levels.

The following maps show the locations of our primary International Distribution segment operations in South America and Asia:

  

International Distribution - South America Operations

We are one of the largest producers and distributors of blended crop nutrients for agricultural use in Brazil. We own and operate twelve blending plants in Brazil and one blending plant and port in Paraguay. In addition, we lease several other warehouses and blending units depending on sales and production levels. We also have a 62% ownership interest in Fospar, S.A. (“ Fospar ”). Fospar owns and operates an SSP granulation plant and a deep-water crop nutrition port and throughput warehouse terminal facility in Paranagua, Brazil. Together these plants provide the capability to annually distribute approximately 6.0 million tonnes of crop nutrients in Brazil and Paraguay. The port facility at Paranagua handles approximately 2.6 million tonnes of imported crop nutrients. In 2016 we sold approximately 5.7 million tonnes of crop nutrient products in South America.

In 2015 we completed the integration of our December 2014 purchase of ADM's fertilizer distribution business in Brazil and Paraguay. In connection with the acquisition, we also negotiated the terms of five-year fertilizer supply agreements, whereby we supply ADM's fertilizer needs in Brazil and Paraguay.

On December 19, 2016, we entered into an agreement to acquire Vale S.A.'s global phosphate and potash operations conducted through Vale Fertilizantes S.A. for a purchase price valued at $2.5 billion, consisting of $1.25 billion in cash and 42,286,874 shares of Mosaic common stock. Upon closing the acquisition, Mosaic expects to become the leading fertilizer production and distribution company in Brazil. This transaction is expected to close in late 2017 and remains subject to the satisfaction of closing conditions. Additional information about the proposed transaction is provided in Note 24 to our Consolidated Financial Statements.

  International Distribution - Asia-Pacific Operations

In China, we own two 300,000-tonne per year capacity blending plants. In 2016, we sold our 35% interest in a joint venture of a DAP production plant. In 2016 , we sold approximately 230,000 tonnes of blends and distributed another 310,000 tonnes of phosphate and potash crop nutrients in China.

In India, we have distribution facilities to import and sell crop nutrients. In 2016 , we distributed approximately 590,000 tonnes of phosphate and potash crop nutrient products in India. We also serve as a marketing agent for our Phosphates segment.

SALES AND DISTRIBUTION ACTIVITIES

United States and Canada

We have a United States and Canada sales and marketing team that serves our business segments. We sell to wholesale distributors, retail chains, cooperatives, independent retailers and national accounts.

Customer service and the ability to effectively minimize the overall supply chain costs are key competitive factors in the crop nutrient and animal feed ingredients businesses. In addition to our production facilities, to service the needs of our customers, we own, lease or have contractual throughput or other arrangements at strategically located distribution warehouses along or near the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers as well as in other key agricultural regions of the United States and Canada. From these facilities, we distribute Mosaic-produced phosphate and potash products for customers who in turn resell the product into the distribution channel or directly to farmers in the United States and Canada.

We own port facilities in Tampa, Florida and Houston, Texas, which have deep water berth capabilities providing access to the Gulf of Mexico. We will discontinue operations at the Houston, Texas facility in 2017 and then expect to sell the facility. We also own warehouse distribution facilities in Savage, Minnesota; Pekin, Illinois; and Henderson, Kentucky.

In addition to the geographically situated facilities that we own, our U.S. distribution operations also include leased distribution space or contractual throughput agreements in other key geographical areas such as California, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Wisconsin.

Our Canadian customers include independent dealers and national accounts. We also lease and own warehouse facilities in Saskatchewan, Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba in Canada.

International

Outside of the United States and Canada, we market our Phosphates segment's products through our International Distribution segment as well as a salesforce focused on geographies outside of North America. The countries that account for the largest amount of our phosphates sales outside the United States, by volume, are Brazil, Canada, India, Australia and Mexico.

Our sales outside of the United States and Canada of Saskatchewan potash products are made through Canpotex. Canpotex sales are allocated among its members based on peaking capacity. Effective January 1, 2016, our share of Canpotex sales decreased to 38.1% from 40.6%, as Canpotex's other members demonstrated a change in capacity.

Our potash exports from Carlsbad are sold through our own sales force. We also market our Potash segment’s products through our International Distribution segment, which acquires potash primarily through Canpotex. The countries that account for the largest amount of international potash sales, by volume, are Brazil, China, Indonesia, India and Malaysia.

To service the needs of our customers, our International Distribution segment includes a network of strategically located sales offices, crop nutrient blending and bagging facilities, port terminals and warehouse distribution facilities that we own and operate in key geographic areas throughout several countries. The blending and bagging facilities primarily produce Blends from phosphate, potash and nitrogen. The average product mix in our Blends (by volume) contains approximately 50% phosphate, 35% potash and 15% nitrogen, although this mix differs based on seasonal and other factors. Our International Distribution segment's operations serve primarily as a sales outlet for our North American Phosphates production, both for resale and as an input for Blends. Our Potash segment also has historically furnished the majority of the raw materials needs for the production of Blends, primarily via Canpotex, and is expected to continue to do so in the future.

Other Products

With a strong brand position in a multi-billion dollar animal feed ingredients global market, our Phosphates segment supplies animal feed ingredients for poultry and livestock to customers in North America, Latin America and Asia. Our potash sales to non-agricultural users are primarily to large industrial accounts and the animal feed industry. Additionally, we sell potash for de-icing and as a water softener regenerant, as well as fluorosilicic acid for water fluoridation.

COMPETITION

Because crop nutrients are global commodities available from numerous sources, crop nutrition companies compete primarily on the basis of delivered price. Other competitive factors include product quality, cost and availability of raw materials, customer service, plant efficiency and availability of product. As a result, markets for our products are highly competitive. We compete with a broad range of domestic and international producers, including farmer cooperatives, subsidiaries of larger companies, and independent crop nutrient companies. Foreign competitors often have access to cheaper raw materials, are required to comply with less stringent regulatory requirements or are owned or subsidized by governments and, as a result, may have cost advantages over North American companies. We believe that our extensive North American and international production and distribution system provides us with a competitive advantage by allowing us to achieve economies of scale, transportation and storage efficiencies, and obtain market intelligence. Also, we believe our premium products provide us a competitive advantage with customers in North and South America.

Unlike many of our competitors, we have our own distribution system to sell phosphate- and potash-based crop nutrients and animal feed ingredients, whether produced by us or by other third parties, around the globe. In North America, we have one of the largest and most strategically located distribution systems for crop nutrients, including warehouse facilities in key agricultural regions. We also have an extensive network of distribution facilities internationally, including in the key growth regions of South America and Asia, with port terminals, warehouses, and blending plants in Brazil, Paraguay, China, and India. Our global presence allows us to efficiently serve customers in approximately 40 countries.

Phosphates Segment

Our Phosphates segment operates in a highly competitive global market. Among the competitors in the global phosphate industry are domestic and foreign companies, as well as foreign government-supported producers in Asia and North Africa. Phosphate producers compete primarily based on price, as well as product quality, service and innovation. Major integrated producers of feed phosphates are located in the United States, Europe and China. Many smaller producers are located in emerging markets around the world. Many of these smaller producers are not miners of phosphate rock or manufacturers of phosphoric acid and are required to purchase this material on the open market.

We believe that we are a low-cost integrated producer of phosphate-based crop nutrients, due in part to our scale, vertical integration and strategic network of production and distribution facilities. As the world’s largest producer of concentrated phosphates, as well as the second largest miner of phosphate rock in the world and the largest in the United States, we maintain an advantage over some competitors as the scale of operations effectively reduces production costs per unit. We are also vertically integrated to captively supply one of our key inputs, phosphate rock, to our phosphate production facilities. We believe that our position as an integrated producer of phosphate rock provides us with a significant cost advantage over competitors that are non-integrated phosphate producers. Our investment in the Miski Mayo Mine and related commercial offtake supply agreement to purchase a share of the phosphate rock allows us to supplement our overall phosphate rock needs. In addition, we expect that MWSPC will enable us to not only further diversify our sources of phosphates but also improve our access to key agricultural countries in Asia and the Middle East.

We produce ammonia at our Faustina, Louisiana concentrates plant in quantities sufficient to meet approximately one quarter of our total ammonia needs. With no captive ammonia production in Florida, we are subject to significant volatility in our purchase price of ammonia from world markets. The CF Ammonia Supply Agreement is expected to provide us with a long-term supply of a substantial volume of ammonia at prices based on the price of natural gas, and is intended to lessen this volatility.

With our dedicated sulfur transportation barges and tugs, and our 50% ownership interest in Gulf Sulphur Services, we are also well-positioned to source an adequate, flexible and cost-effective supply of sulfur, our third key input. We believe that our investments in sulfur assets continue to afford us a competitive advantage compared to other producers in cost and access to sulfur.

With facilities in both central Florida and Louisiana, we are logistically well positioned to fulfill our needs at very competitive prices. Those multiple production points also afford us the flexibility to optimally balance supply and demand.

Potash Segment

Potash is a commodity available from several geographical regions around the world and, consequently, the market is highly competitive. Through our participation in Canpotex, we compete outside of North America against various independent and

state-owned potash producers. Canpotex has substantial expertise and logistical resources for the international distribution of potash including strategically located export assets in Portland, Oregon, St. John, New Brunswick, and Vancouver, British Columbia. Our principal methods of competition with respect to the sale of potash include product pricing, and offering consistent, high-quality products and superior service. We believe that our potash cost structure is competitive in the industry and should improve as we continue to complete our potash expansion projects.

International Distribution Segment

Our International Distribution segment generally operates in highly competitive business environments in each of its markets, competing with local businesses and with products that are available from many other sources. We believe that our International Distribution segment's vertical integration with our own production businesses, as well as our focus on product innovation and customer solutions, position us with an advantage over many of our competitors. We have a strong brand in the countries in which we have international distribution activities. In addition to having access to our own production, our international distribution activities have the capability to supply a wide variety of crop nutrients to our dealer/farmer customer base. Our strategic positions in Brazil, Paraguay, China and India allow us to capitalize on the nutrient demand in these large and growing international regions.

FACTORS AFFECTING DEMAND

Our results of operations historically have reflected the effects of several external factors which are beyond our control and have in the past produced significant downward and upward swings in operating results. Revenues are highly dependent upon conditions in the agriculture industry and can be affected by, among other factors: crop conditions; changes in agricultural production practices; worldwide economic conditions, including the increasing world population, household incomes, and demand for more protein-rich food, particularly in developing regions such as China, India, and Latin America; changing demand for biofuels; variability in commodity pricing; governmental policies; the level of inventories in the crop nutrient distribution channels; customer expectations about farmer economics, future crop nutrient prices and availability, and transportation costs, among other matters; market trends in raw material costs; market prices for crop nutrients; and weather. Furthermore, our crop nutrients business is seasonal to the extent farmers and agricultural enterprises in the markets in which we compete purchase more crop nutrient products during the spring and fall. The international scope of our business, spanning the northern and southern hemispheres, reduces to some extent the seasonal impact on our business. The degree of seasonality of our business can change significantly from year to year due to conditions in the agricultural industry and other factors. The seasonal nature of our businesses requires significant working capital for inventory in advance of the planting seasons.

We sell products throughout the world. Unfavorable changes in trade protection laws, policies and measures, government policies and other regulatory requirements affecting trade; unexpected changes in tax and trade treaties; strengthening or weakening of foreign economies as well as political relations with the United States may cause sales trends to customers in one or more foreign countries to differ from sales trends in the United States.

Our international operations are subject to risks from changes in foreign currencies, or government policy, which can affect local farmer economics.

OTHER MATTERS

Employees

We had approximately 8,700 employees as of December 31, 2016 , consisting of approximately 3,600 salaried and 5,100 hourly employees.

Labor Relations

As of December 31, 2016 :  

Failure to renew any of our union agreements could result in a strike or labor stoppage that could have a material adverse effect on our operations. However, we have not experienced significant work stoppage in many years and historically have had good labor relations.

Financial Information about our Business Segments and Operations by Geographic Areas

We have included financial information about our business segments, our operations by geographic area and our revenues by class of similar products in Note 25 of our Consolidated Financial Statements.

Information Available on our Website

Our annual reports on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K, and amendments thereto, filed with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations thereunder are made available free of charge on our website, (www.mosaicco.com), as soon as reasonably practicable after we electronically file such material with, or furnish it to, the SEC. The information contained on our website is not being incorporated in this report.

Bruce M. Bodine Jr. Mr. Bodine has been Senior Vice President - Potash since June 2016. Prior to that, he served as our Vice President - Potash (since April 2016), prior to that as our Vice President - Supply Chain (since August 2015), prior to that as our Vice President - Operations Business Development (since October 2014), prior to that as Vice President - Operations for our Esterhazy and Colonsay potash production facilities (since July 2013), prior to that as the General Manager, Esterhazy (since September 2012) and prior to that as the General Manager, Four Corners (since March 2010). Before that, Mr. Bodine held various plant and mine development management positions in the Phosphates segment beginning with Mosaic's formation in 2004, and prior to that he served in various engineering leadership positions with our predecessor company, IMC Global Inc.

Mark J. Isaacson. Mr. Isaacson was elected Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in August 2015 and previously served as our Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since August 2014. Mr. Isaacson joined Mosaic upon its formation in 2004 as its Chief Phosphates Counsel before being promoted to Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer in 2011 and to Vice President, Acting General Counsel and Corporate Secretary in June 2014. Prior to joining Mosaic, Mr. Isaacson worked for 15 years at Cargill, Inc., where he served as Senior Attorney for a number of its business units.

Richard L. Mack. Mr. Mack has been our Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer since June 2014. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since January 1, 2009 and before that as Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary since our formation in 2004. Mr. Mack was a founding executive responsible for our formation in the 2004 business combination between IMC Global Inc. and Cargill Crop Nutrition and was a core member of the executive team responsible for our subsequent successful spin-off from Cargill. 

Since that time he has played key roles in negotiating and executing strategic transactions; led our successful resolution of a number critical legal disputes; led the development of our land use strategy, including the development of Streamsong Resort ^® ; and led the development and implementation of our phosphate rock mine permitting strategy in Florida.  Prior to our formation, Mr. Mack was a Senior Attorney in Cargill’s worldwide law department and a co-founder of Cargill’s venture capital business unit.  Mr. Mack is a director of Titan Machinery, Inc. and a member of the MWSPC board, and serves on the Boards of Trustees of Hamline University and Mitchell | Hamline School of Law.

Richard N. McLellan. Mr. McLellan was appointed Senior Vice President - Brazil in February 2017. Prior to that time he served as Senior Vice President—Commercial since April 2007, and before that as our Vice President—North American Sales since December 2005 and as Country Manager for our (and, prior to the Combination, Cargill’s) Brazilian crop nutrient business since November, 2002. Mr. McLellan joined Cargill in 1989 and held various roles in its Canadian and U.S. operations, including grain, retail and wholesale crop nutrient distribution.

James “Joc” C. O’Rourke. Mr. O’Rourke was promoted to President and Chief Executive Officer effective in August 2015. Previously, he served as Executive Vice President—Operations and Chief Operating Officer since August 2012 and before that as Executive Vice President—Operations since January 2009. Prior to joining Mosaic, Mr. O’Rourke was President, Australia Pacific for Barrick Gold Corporation, the largest gold producer in Australia, since May 2006, where he was responsible for the Australia Pacific Business Unit consisting of ten gold and copper mines in Australia and Papua New Guinea. Before that, Mr. O’Rourke was Executive General Manager in Australia and Managing Director of Placer Dome Asia Pacific Ltd., the second largest gold producer in Australia, from December 2004, where he was responsible for the Australia Business Unit consisting of five gold and copper mines; and General Manager of Western Australia Operations for Iluka Resources Ltd., the world’s largest zircon and second largest titanium producer, from September 2003, where he was responsible for six mining and concentrating operations and two mineral separation/synthetic rutile refineries. Mr. O’Rourke had previously held various management, engineering and other roles in the mining industry in Canada and Australia since 1984. Mr. O'Rourke has served on our Board of Directors since May 2015 and is also a director of The Toro Company.

Walter F. Precourt III. Mr. Precourt was named Senior Vice President—Phosphates effective in June 2016 and in this role he also provides executive oversight for the corporate procurement and Environmental, Health and Safety organizations. He previously served as our Senior Vice President—Potash Operations since May 2012, and before that he led our Environment, Health and Safety organization since joining Mosaic in 2009. Prior to joining Mosaic, Mr. Precourt was employed by cement and mineral component producer Holcim (U.S.) where he initially led its safety transformation and later became Vice President of Environment and Government Affairs. Mr. Precourt started his career at The Dow Chemical Company where he served in a variety of roles in Operations, Technology, Capital Project Management, and Environmental, Health and Safety. Mr. Precourt serves as a director and is the past Chairman of the Board of the Saskatchewan Potash Producers Association and is a director of Fertilizer Canada.

Corrine D. Ricard. Ms. Ricard was appointed Senior Vice President - Commercial in February 2017. Prior to that time she served as our Senior Vice President—Human Resources since April 2012, and before that she held a number of other leadership positions at Mosaic, including Vice President—International Distribution, Vice President—Business Development and Vice President—Supply Chain. Prior to Mosaic’s formation, Ms. Ricard worked for Cargill in various roles including risk management, supply chain and commodity trading.

Our executive officers are generally elected to serve until their respective successors are elected and qualified or until their earlier death, resignation or removal. No “family relationships,” as that term is defined in Item 401(d) of Regulation S-K, exist among any of the listed officers.

Item 1A. Risk Factors.

Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of the risks and uncertainties described below.

Our Esterhazy mine has had an inflow of salt saturated brine for more than 30 years.

Since December 1985, we have had inflows of salt saturated brine into our Esterhazy, Saskatchewan mine. Over the past century, several potash mines experiencing water inflow problems have flooded. In order to control brine inflows at Esterhazy, we have incurred, and will continue to incur, expenditures, certain of which, due to their nature, have been capitalized, while others have been charged to expense.

At various times, we experience changing amounts and patterns of brine inflows at the Esterhazy mine. Periodically, some of these inflows have exceeded available pumping capacity. If that were to continue for several months without abatement, it could exceed our available storage capacity and ability to effectively manage the brine inflow. This could adversely affect production at the Esterhazy mine. The brine inflow is variable, resulting in both net inflows (the rate of inflow is more than the amount we are pumping out of the mine) and net outflows (when we are pumping more brine out of the mine than the rate of inflow). There can be no assurance that:  

From time to time, new or improved technology becomes available to facilitate our remediation of the inflows, such as when horizontal drilling techniques were developed and refined. Taking advantage of these new or improved technologies may require significant capital expenditures and/or may increase our costs of remediation.

It is possible that the costs of remedial efforts at Esterhazy may further increase in the future and that such an increase could be material, or, in the extreme scenario, that the brine inflows, risk to employees or remediation costs may increase to a level which would cause us to change our mining processes or abandon the mines. See “Key Factors that can Affect Results of Operations and Financial Condition” and “Potash Net Sales and Gross Margin” in our Management’s Analysis, which is incorporated herein by reference, for a discussion of costs, risks and other information relating to the brine inflows.

Due to the ongoing brine inflow at Esterhazy, subject to exceptions that are limited in scope and amount, we are unable to obtain insurance coverage for underground operations for water incursion problems. Our mines at Colonsay, Saskatchewan, and Carlsbad, New Mexico, are also subject to the risks of inflow of water as a result of our shaft mining operations.

Our operating results are highly dependent upon and fluctuate based upon business and economic conditions and governmental policies affecting the agricultural industry where we or our customers operate. These factors are outside of our control and may significantly affect our profitability.

Our operating results are highly dependent upon business and economic conditions and governmental policies affecting the agricultural industry, which we cannot control. The agricultural products business can be affected by a number of factors. The most important of these factors, for U.S. markets, are:  

International market conditions, which are also outside of our control, may also significantly influence our operating results. The international market for crop nutrients is influenced by such factors as the relative value of the U.S. dollar and its impact upon the cost of importing crop nutrients, foreign agricultural policies, including subsidy policies, the existence of, or changes in, import or foreign currency exchange barriers in certain foreign markets, changes in the hard currency demands of certain countries and other regulatory policies of foreign governments, as well as the laws and policies of the United States affecting foreign trade and investment.

Our most important products are global commodities, and we face intense global competition from other crop nutrient producers that can affect our prices and volumes.

Our most important products are concentrated phosphate crop nutrients, including diammonium phosphate, or DAP, monoammonium phosphate, or MAP, MicroEssentials ^® and muriate of potash, or MOP. We sell most of our DAP, MAP and MOP in the form of global commodities. Our sales of these products face intense global competition from other crop nutrient producers.

Changes in competitors’ production or shifts in their marketing focus have in the past significantly affected both the prices at which we sell our products and the volumes that we sell, and are likely to continue to do so in the future.

Competitors are more likely to increase their production at times when world agricultural and crop nutrient markets are strong, and to focus on sales into regions where their returns are highest. Increases in the global supply of DAP, MAP and MOP or competitors’ increased sales into regions in which we have significant sales could adversely affect our prices and volumes.

Competitors and potential new entrants in the markets for both concentrated phosphate crop nutrients and potash have in recent years expanded capacity, or begun, or announced plans, to expand capacity or build new facilities. The extent to which current global or local economic and financial conditions, changes in global or local economic and financial conditions, or other factors may cause delays or cancellation of some of these ongoing or planned projects, or result in the acceleration of existing or new projects, is unclear. In addition, the level of exports by producers of concentrated phosphate crop nutrients in China depends to a significant extent on Chinese government actions to curb exports through, among other measures, prohibitive export taxes at times when the government believes it desirable to assure ample domestic supplies of concentrated phosphate crop nutrients to stimulate grain and oilseed production.

In addition, some of our competitors who are expanding their potash production capacity include other members of Canpotex. Canpotex members’ respective shares of Canpotex sales is based upon the members’ respective proven peaking capacity for producing potash. When a Canpotex member expands its production capacity, the new capacity is added to that member’s proven peaking capacity based on a proving run at the maximum production level. Alternatively, after January 2017, Canpotex members may elect to rely on an independent engineering firm and approved protocols to calculate their proven peaking capacity. Antitrust and competition laws prohibit the members of Canpotex from coordinating their production decisions, including the timing of their respective proving runs. Worldwide potash production levels during these proving runs could exceed then-current market demand, resulting in an oversupply of potash and lower potash prices.

We cannot accurately predict when or whether competitors’ or new entrants’ ongoing or planned capacity expansions or new facilities will be completed, the timing of competitors’ tests to prove peaking capacity for Canpotex purposes, the cumulative effect of these and recently completed expansions, the impact of future decisions by the Chinese government on the level of Chinese exports of concentrated phosphate crop nutrients, or the effects of these or other actions by our competitors on the prices for our products or the volumes that we will be able to sell.

Our crop nutrients and other products are subject to price and demand volatility resulting from periodic imbalances of supply and demand, which may cause our results of operations to fluctuate.

Historically, the market for crop nutrients has been cyclical, and prices and demand for our products have fluctuated to a significant extent, particularly for phosphates and, to a lesser extent, potash. Periods of high demand, increasing profits and high capacity utilization tend to lead to new plant investment and increased production. This growth increases supply until the market is over-saturated, leading to declining prices and declining capacity utilization until the cycle repeats.

As a result, crop nutrient prices and volumes have been volatile. This price and volume volatility may cause our results of operations to fluctuate and potentially deteriorate. The price at which we sell our crop nutrient products and our sales volumes could fall in the event of industry oversupply conditions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In contrast, high prices may lead our customers and farmers to delay purchasing decisions in anticipation of future lower prices, thus impacting our sales volumes.

Due to reduced market demand, depressed agricultural economic conditions and other factors, we and our predecessors have at various times suspended or reduced production at some of our facilities. The extent to which we utilize available capacity at our facilities will cause fluctuations in our results of operations, as we will incur costs for any temporary or indefinite shutdowns of our facilities and lower sales tend to lead to higher fixed costs as a percentage of sales.

Variations in crop nutrient application rates may exacerbate the cyclicality of the crop nutrient markets.

Farmers are able to maximize their economic return by applying optimum amounts of crop nutrients. Farmers’ decisions about the application rate for each crop nutrient, or to forego application of a crop nutrient, particularly phosphate and potash, vary from year to year depending on a number of factors, including among others, crop prices, crop nutrient and other crop input costs or the level of the crop nutrient remaining in the soil following the previous harvest. Farmers are more likely to increase application rates when crop prices are relatively high, crop nutrient and other crop input costs are relatively low and the level of the crop nutrient remaining in the soil is relatively low. Conversely, farmers are likely to reduce or forego application when farm economics are weak or declining or the level of the crop nutrients remaining in the soil is relatively high. This variability in application rates can materially accentuate the cyclicality in prices for our products and our sales volumes.

Our crop nutrient business is seasonal, which may result in carrying significant amounts of inventory and seasonal variations in working capital, and our inability to predict future seasonal crop nutrient demand accurately may result in excess inventory or product shortages.

The crop nutrient business is seasonal. Farmers tend to apply crop nutrients during two short application periods, the strongest one in the Spring before planting and the other in the Fall after harvest. As a result, the strongest demand for our products typically occurs during the Spring planting season, with a second period of strong demand following the Fall harvest. In contrast, we and other crop nutrient producers generally produce our products throughout the year. As a result, we and/or our customers generally build inventories during the low demand periods of the year in order to ensure timely product availability during the peak sales seasons. The seasonality of crop nutrient demand results in our sales volumes and net sales typically being the highest during the North American Spring season and our working capital requirements typically being the highest just prior to the start of the Spring season. Our quarterly financial results can vary significantly from one year to the next due to weather-related shifts in planting schedules and purchasing patterns.

If seasonal demand exceeds our projections, we will not have enough product and our customers may acquire products from our competitors, which would negatively impact our profitability. If seasonal demand is less than we expect, we will be left with excess inventory and higher working capital and liquidity requirements. The degree of seasonality of our business can change significantly from year to year due to conditions in the agricultural industry and other factors.

The distribution channels for crop nutrients have capacity to build significant levels of inventories, which can adversely affect our sales volumes and selling prices.

In order to balance the production needs of crop nutrient producers with farmers’ seasonal use of crop nutrients, crop nutrient distribution channels need to have the capacity to build significant inventories. The build-up of inventories in the distribution channels can become excessive, particularly during the cyclical periods of low demand that have been typical in the crop nutrient industry. When there are excessive inventories in the distribution channel, our sales volumes and selling prices can be adversely impacted, even during periods in which farmers’ use of crop nutrients may remain strong.

Changes in transportation costs can affect our sales volumes and selling prices.

The cost of delivery is a significant factor in the total cost to customers and farmers of crop nutrients. As a result, changes in transportation costs or in customer expectations about them can affect our sales volumes and prices.

Customer expectations about future events can have a significant effect on the demand for our products. These expectations can significantly affect our sales volumes and selling prices.

Customer expectations about future events have had and are expected to continue to have an effect on the demand and prices for crop nutrients. Future events that may be affected by customer expectations include, among others:  

Customer expectations about selling prices and availability of crop nutrients have had and are expected to continue to have an effect on the demand for crop nutrients. When customers anticipate increasing crop nutrient selling prices, customers tend to accumulate inventories before the anticipated price increases. This can result in a lag in our realization of rising market prices for our products. Conversely, customers tend to delay their purchases when they anticipate future selling prices for crop nutrients will stabilize or decrease, adversely affecting our sales volumes and selling prices. Customer expectations about availability of crop nutrients can have similar effects on sales volumes and prices.  

Similarly, customer expectations about future farmer economics have had and are expected to continue to have an effect on the demand for crop nutrients. When customers anticipate improving farmer economics, customers tend to accumulate crop nutrient inventories in anticipation of increasing sales volumes and selling prices. This can result in a lag in our realization of rising market prices for our products. Conversely, when customers anticipate declining farmer economics, customers tend to reduce the level of their purchases of crop nutrients, adversely affecting our sales volumes and selling prices.  

As discussed above, increasing transportation costs effectively increase customers’ and farmers’ costs for crop nutrients and can reduce the amount we realize for our sales. Expectations of decreasing transportation costs can result in customers and farmers anticipating that they may be able to decrease their costs by delaying purchases. As a result, changes in customer expectations about transportation costs can affect our sales volumes and prices.

We conduct our operations primarily through a limited number of key production and distribution facilities. Any disruption at one of these facilities could have a material adverse impact on our business. The risk of material disruption increases when demand for our products results in high operating rates at our facilities.

We conduct our operations through a limited number of key production and distribution facilities. These facilities include our phosphate mines and concentrates plants; our potash mines; and the ports and other distribution facilities through which we, Canpotex and any joint ventures in which we participate, conduct our respective businesses, as well as other commercial arrangements with unrelated third parties. Any disruption of operations at one of these facilities has the possibility of significantly affecting our production or our ability to distribute our products. Operating these facilities at high rates during periods of high demand for our products increases the risk of mechanical or structural failures, decreases the time available for routine maintenance and increases the impact on our operating results from any disruption. A disruption of operations at one of our key facilities could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Examples of the types of events that could result in a disruption at one of these facilities include: adverse weather; strikes or other work stoppages; deliberate, malicious acts, including acts of terrorism; political and economic instability; cyber attacks and other risks associated with our international operations; changes in permitting, financial assurance or other environmental, health and safety laws or other changes in the regulatory environment in which we operate; legal and regulatory proceedings; our relationships with other members of Canpotex and any joint ventures in which we participate and their or our exit from participation in Canpotex or any such joint ventures; other changes in our commercial arrangements with unrelated third parties; brine inflows at our Esterhazy, Saskatchewan, mine or our other shaft mines; mechanical failure and accidents occurring in the course of operating activities; and other factors.

Insurance market conditions, our loss experience and other factors affect the insurance coverage that we carry, and we are not fully insured against all potential hazards and risks incident to our business. As a result, our insurance coverage may not adequately cover our losses.

We maintain property, business interruption and casualty insurance policies, but we are not fully insured against all potential hazards and risks incident to our business. We are subject to various self-retentions and deductibles under these insurance policies. As a result of market conditions, our loss experience and other factors, our premiums, self-retentions and deductibles for insurance policies can increase substantially and, in some instances, certain insurance may become unavailable or available only for reduced amounts of coverage. In addition, significantly increased costs could lead us to decide to reduce, or possibly eliminate, coverage. As a result, a disruption of operations at one of our key facilities or a significant casualty could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Important raw materials and energy used in our businesses in the past have been and may in the future be the subject of volatile pricing. Changes in the price of our raw materials could have a material impact on our businesses.

Natural gas, ammonia and sulfur are key raw materials used in the manufacture of phosphate crop nutrient products. Natural gas is used as both a chemical feedstock and a fuel to produce anhydrous ammonia, which is a raw material used in the production of concentrated phosphate products. Natural gas is also a significant energy source used in the potash solution mining process. From time to time, our profitability has been and may in the future be impacted by the price and availability of these raw materials and other energy costs. Because most of our products are commodities, there can be no assurance that we will be able to pass through increased costs to our customers. A significant increase in the price of natural gas, ammonia,

sulfur or energy costs that is not recovered through an increase in the price of our related crop nutrients products could have a material adverse impact on our business. In addition, under our long-term CF Ammonia Supply Agreement we have agreed to purchase approximately 545,000 to 725,000 tonnes of ammonia per year during a term that may extend until December 31, 2032 at a price to be determined by a formula based on the prevailing price of U.S. natural gas. If the price of natural gas rises or the market price for ammonia falls outside of the range anticipated at execution of the agreement, we may not realize a cost benefit from the natural gas based pricing over the term of the agreement, or the cost of our ammonia under the agreement could be a competitive disadvantage.

During periods when the price for concentrated phosphates is falling because of falling raw material prices, we may experience a lag in realizing the benefits of the falling raw materials prices. This lag can adversely affect our gross margins and profitability.

During some periods, changes in market prices for raw materials can lead to changes in the global market prices for concentrated phosphate crop nutrients. In particular, the global market prices for concentrated phosphate crop nutrients can be affected by changes in the market prices for sulfur, ammonia, phosphate rock and/or phosphoric acid raw materials. Increasing market prices for these raw materials tend to put upward pressure on the selling prices for concentrated phosphate crop nutrients, and decreasing market prices for these raw materials tend to put downward pressure on selling prices for concentrated phosphate crop nutrients. When the market prices for these raw materials plunge rapidly, the selling prices for our concentrated phosphate crop nutrients can fall more rapidly than we are able to consume our raw material inventory that we purchased or committed to purchase in the past at higher prices. As a result, our costs may not fall as rapidly as the selling prices of our products. Until we are able to consume the higher priced raw materials, our gross margins and profitability can be adversely affected.

During periods when the prices for our products are falling because of falling raw material prices, we could be required to write-down the value of our inventories. Any such write-down would adversely affect our results of operations and the level of our assets.

We carry our inventories at the lower of cost or market. In periods when the market prices for our products are falling rapidly in response to falling market prices for raw materials, it is possible that we could be required to write-down the value of our inventories if market prices fall below our costs. Any such write-down would adversely affect our results of operations and the level of our assets. Any such effect could be material.

Our estimates of future selling prices reflect in part the purchase commitments we have from our customers. As a result, defaults on these existing purchase commitments because of the global or local economic and financial conditions or for other reasons could adversely affect our estimates of future selling prices and require additional inventory write-downs.

In the event of a disruption to existing terminaling facilities or transportation for our products or raw materials, alternative terminaling facilities or transportation might not be available on a timely basis or have sufficient capacity to fully serve all of our customers or facilities.

In the event of a disruption of existing terminaling facilities or transportation for our products or raw materials, alternative terminaling facilities or transportation might not be available on a timely basis or have sufficient capacity to fully serve all of our customers or facilities.

Terminaling facilities and transportation include the ports and other distribution facilities through which we, Canpotex and the joint ventures in which we participate, conduct our respective businesses; transportation and related equipment arrangements; and other commercial arrangements with unrelated third parties.

Examples of the types of events that could result in a disruption of terminaling facilities or transportation include: adverse weather; strikes or other work stoppages; deliberate, malicious acts; political and economic instability and other risks associated with our international operations; changes in permitting, financial assurance or other environmental, health and safety laws or other changes in the regulatory environment in which we operate; legal and regulatory proceedings; our relationships with other members of Canpotex and any joint ventures in which we participate and their or our exit from participation in Canpotex or any such joint ventures; other changes in our commercial arrangements with unrelated third parties; accidents occurring in the course of operating activities; lack of truck, rail, barge or ship transportation; and other factors. We discuss a number of these examples in more detail throughout this Risk Factors section.

We are subject to risks associated with our international sales and operations, which could negatively affect our sales to customers in foreign countries as well as our operations and assets in foreign countries. Some of these factors may also make it less attractive to distribute cash generated by our operations outside the United States to our stockholders, or to utilize cash generated by our operations in one country to fund our operations or repayments of indebtedness in another country or to support other corporate purposes.

For 2016 , we derived approximately 63% of our net sales from customers located outside of the United States, of which our International Distribution segment accounted for 56%. As a result, we are subject to numerous risks and uncertainties relating to international sales and operations, including:  

The occurrence of any of the above in the countries in which we operate or elsewhere could jeopardize or limit our ability to transact business there and could adversely affect our revenues and operating results and the value of our assets located outside of the United States.

In addition, tax regulations, currency exchange controls and other restrictions may also make it economically unattractive to:  

Changes in tax laws or regulations or their interpretation, or exposure to additional tax liabilities, could materially adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

We are subject to taxes, including income taxes, resource taxes and royalties, and other non-income based taxes in the U.S., Canada, China, Brazil and other countries where we operate.  Changes in tax laws or regulations or their interpretation could result in higher taxes, which could materially adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Our international assets are located in countries with volatile conditions, which could subject us and our assets to significant risks.

We are a global business with substantial assets located outside of the United States and Canada. Our operations in Brazil, China, India and Paraguay are a fundamental part of our business. We also have joint venture investments in the Miski Mayo mine in Peru that supplies phosphate rock to us, and MWSPC, which is developing a mine and chemical complexes that we presently expect would produce phosphate fertilizers and other downstream products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Volatile economic, political and market conditions in these and other emerging market countries may have a negative impact on our operations, operating results and financial condition. In addition, unfavorable changes in trade protection laws, policies and measures, or governmental actions and policies and other regulatory requirements affecting trade and the pricing and sourcing of our raw materials, may also have a negative impact on our operations, operating results and financial condition.

Natural resource extraction is an important part of the economy in Peru, and, in the past, there have been protests against other natural resource operations in Peru. As of the date of this report, there remain numerous social conflicts that exist within the natural resource sector in Peru and as a result there is potential for active protests against natural resource companies. If the Government of Peru’s proactive efforts to address the social and environmental issues surrounding natural resource activities were not successful, protests could extend to or impact the Miski Mayo mine and adversely affect our investment in the Miski Mayo joint venture or the supply of phosphate rock to us from the mine.

Adverse weather conditions, including the impact of hurricanes, and excess heat, cold, snow, rainfall and drought, have in the past, and may in the future, adversely affect our operations, particularly our Phosphates business, and result in increased costs, decreased production and potential liabilities.

Adverse weather conditions, including the impact of hurricanes and excess heat, cold, snow, rainfall and drought, have in the past and may in the future adversely affect our operations, particularly our Phosphates business. In the past, hurricanes have resulted in minor physical damage to our facilities in Florida and Louisiana. In addition, a release of process wastewater at our Riverview, Florida facility during a hurricane resulted in a small civil fine, settlement for an immaterial amount of claims for natural resource damages by governmental agencies and an ongoing private lawsuit.

Additionally, water treatment costs, particularly at our Florida operations, due to high water balances tend to increase significantly following excess rainfall from hurricanes or other adverse weather. Some of our Florida facilities have had or could have high water levels that may require treatment. High water balances in the past at phosphate facilities in Florida also led the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (" FDEP ") to adopt new rules requiring phosphate production facilities to meet more stringent process water management objectives for phosphogypsum management systems.

If additional excess rainfall or hurricanes occur in coming years, our facilities may be required to take additional measures to manage process water to comply with existing or future requirements and these measures could potentially have a material effect on our business and financial condition.

Adverse weather may also cause a loss of production due to disruptions in our supply chain or adversely affect delivery of our products to our customers. For example, oil refineries that supply sulfur to us may suspend operations as a result of a hurricane and incoming shipments of ammonia can be delayed, disrupting production at our Florida or Louisiana facilities and delivery of our products.

Drought can also adversely affect us. For example, drought can reduce farmers’ crop yields and the uptake of phosphates and potash, reducing the need for application of additional phosphates and potash for the next planting season. Drought can also lower river levels, adversely affecting delivery of our products to our customers.

Our operations are dependent on having the required permits and approvals from governmental authorities. Denial or delay by a government agency in issuing any of our permits and approvals or imposition of restrictive conditions on us with respect to these permits and approvals may impair our business and operations.

We hold numerous governmental environmental, mining and other permits and approvals authorizing operations at each of our facilities. A decision by a government agency to revoke or substantially modify an existing permit or approval could have a material adverse effect on our ability to continue operations at the affected facility.

Expansion of our operations also is predicated upon securing the necessary environmental or other permits or approvals. Over the next several years, we and our subsidiaries will be continuing our efforts to obtain permits in support of our anticipated Florida mining operations at certain of our properties.

A denial of, or delay in issuing, these permits, the issuance of permits with cost-prohibitive conditions, legal actions that prevent us from relying on permits or revocation of permits, could prevent us from mining at these properties and thereby have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

For example:  

wetlands permit, alleging that the Corps’ actions in issuing the permit violated several federal laws relating to the protection of the environment. Preliminary injunctions entered into in connection with this lawsuit resulted in shutdowns or reduced production at our South Fort Meade mine until April 2012. Following a settlement of the lawsuit in February 2012 and court approval, we were able to resume normal production at our South Fort Meade mine.

The periods of shutdown and reduced phosphate rock production at our South Fort Meade mine resulted in costs to suspend operations and idle plant costs. Lower phosphate rock mining production levels also adversely affected gross margin.  

We have included additional discussion about permitting for our phosphate mines in Florida under “Environmental, Health, Safety and Security Matters—Operating Requirements and Impacts—Permitting” in our Management’s Analysis.

We are subject to financial assurance requirements as part of our routine business operations. These financial assurance requirements affect our costs and increase our liquidity requirements. If we were unable to satisfy applicable financial assurance requirements, we might not be able to obtain or maintain permits we need to operate our business as we have in the past. Our need to comply with these requirements could materially affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

In many cases, as a condition to procuring or maintaining permits and approvals or otherwise, we are required to comply with financial assurance requirements of governmental authorities. The purpose of these requirements is to provide comfort to the government that sufficient funds will be available for the ultimate closure, post-closure care and/or reclamation of our facilities.

In some cases we are able to comply through the satisfaction of applicable state financial strength tests, but if we are unable to do so, we must utilize alternative methods of complying with the financial assurance requirements or we could be subject to enforcement proceedings brought by relevant government agencies. Potential alternative methods of compliance include providing credit support in the form of cash escrows or trusts, surety bonds from insurance companies, letters of credit from banks, or other forms of financial instruments or collateral to satisfy the financial assurance requirements or negotiating a consent agreement that establishes a different form of financial assurance. Use of alternative means of financial assurance imposes additional expense on us. Some of them, such as letters of credit, also use a portion of our available liquidity. Other alternative means of financial assurance, such as surety bonds, may in some cases require collateral and generally require us to obtain a discharge of the bonds or to post additional collateral (typically in the form of cash or letters of credit) at the request of the issuer of the bonds. Collateral that is required may be in many forms including letters of credit or other financial instruments that utilize a portion of our available liquidity, or in the form of assets such as real estate, which reduces our flexibility to manage or sell assets.

For example:

difference between the amounts held in each trust fund (including earnings) and the estimated closure and long-term care costs. Compliance with the financial assurance requirements included in these consent decrees satisfies substantially all of our state financial assurance obligations relating to the covered facilities, which were historically satisfied without the need for any expenditure of corporate funds to the extent our financial statements met certain balance sheet and income statement financial strength tests.

In the past, we have also not always been able to satisfy applicable financial strength tests, and in the future, it is possible that we will not be able to pass the applicable financial strength tests, negotiate or receive approval of consent decrees, establish escrow or trust accounts or obtain letters of credit, surety bonds or other financial instruments on acceptable terms and conditions or at a reasonable cost, or that the form and/or cost of compliance could increase, which could materially adversely affect our business, results of operations or financial condition.

We have included additional discussion about financial assurance requirements under “Off Balance Sheet Arrangements and Obligations—Other Commercial Commitments” in our Management’s Analysis.

The other environmental regulations to which we are subject may also have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition to permitting and financial assurance requirements, we are subject to numerous other environmental, health and safety laws and regulations in the U.S., Canada, China, Brazil and other countries where we operate. These laws and regulations govern a wide range of matters, including environmental controls, land reclamation, discharges to air and water and remediation of hazardous substance releases. They significantly affect our operating activities as well as the level of our operating costs and capital expenditures. In some international jurisdictions, environmental laws change frequently and it may be difficult for us to determine if we are in compliance with all material environmental laws at any given time.

We are, and may in the future be, involved in legal and regulatory proceedings that could be material to us. These proceedings include “legacy” matters arising from activities of our predecessor companies and from facilities and businesses that we have never owned or operated.

We have in the past been, are currently and may in the future be subject to legal and regulatory proceedings that could be material to our business, results of operations, liquidity or financial condition. Joint ventures in which we participate could also become subject to these sorts of proceedings. These proceedings may be brought by the government or private parties and may arise out of a variety of matters, including:  

The legal and regulatory proceedings to which we are currently or may in the future be subject can, depending on the circumstances, result in monetary damage awards, fines, penalties, other liabilities, injunctions or other court or administrative rulings that interrupt, impede or otherwise materially affect our business operations, and/or criminal sanctions.

Among other environmental laws, the U.S. Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (“ CERCLA ”) imposes liability, including for cleanup costs, without regard to fault or to the legality of a party’s conduct, on certain categories of persons, including current and former owners and operators of a site and parties who are considered to have contributed to the release of “hazardous substances” into the environment. Under CERCLA, or various U.S. state analogues, a party may, under certain circumstances, be required to bear more than its proportional share of cleanup costs at a site where it has liability if payments cannot be obtained from other responsible parties. As a crop nutrient company working with chemicals and other hazardous substances, we will periodically incur liabilities and cleanup costs, under CERCLA and other environmental laws, with regard to our current or former facilities, adjacent or nearby third-party facilities or offsite disposal locations.

Pending and potential legal and regulatory proceedings may arise out of our present activities, including operations at current facilities. They may also arise out of past activities by us, our predecessor companies and subsidiaries that our predecessors have sold. These past activities were in some cases at facilities that we and our subsidiaries no longer own or operate and may have never owned or operated.

Settlements of legal and regulatory matters frequently require court approval. In the event a court were not to approve of a settlement, it is possible that we and the other party or parties to the matter might not be able to settle it on terms that were acceptable to all parties or that we could be required to accept more stringent terms of settlement than required by the opposing parties.

We have included additional information with respect to pending legal and regulatory proceedings in Note  21 of our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements and in this report in Part I, Item 3, “Legal Proceedings”.

These legal and regulatory proceedings involve inherent uncertainties and could negatively impact our business, results of operations, liquidity or financial condition.

The permitting, financial assurance and other environmental, health and safety laws and regulations to which we are subject may become more stringent over time. This could increase the effects on us of these laws and regulations, and the increased effects could be material.

Continued government and public emphasis on environmental, health and safety issues in the U.S., Canada, China, Brazil, Paraguay and other countries where we operate can be expected to result in requirements that apply to us and our operations that are more stringent than those that are described above and elsewhere in this report. These more stringent requirements may include among other matters increased levels of future investments and expenditures for environmental controls at ongoing operations which will be charged against income from future operations, increased levels of the financial assurance requirements to which we are subject, increased efforts or costs to obtain permits or denial of permits, other new or interpretations of existing statutes or regulations that impose new or more stringent restrictions or liabilities, including liabilities or additional financial assurance requirements under CERCLA or similar statutes, including restrictions or liabilities related to elevated levels of naturally-occurring radiation that arise from disturbing the ground in the course of mining activities, and other matters that could increase our expenses, capital requirements or liabilities or adversely affect our business, liquidity or financial condition. In addition, to the extent restrictions imposed in countries where our competitors operate, such as China, India, Former Soviet Union countries or Morocco, are less stringent than in the countries where we operate, our competitors could gain cost or other competitive advantages over us. These effects could be material.

Among other matters, there are several recent or ongoing initiatives relating to nutrient discharges. New regulatory restrictions from these initiatives could have a material effect on either us or our customers. For example:  

In addition, in April 2014 EPA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers jointly issued a proposed rule that would redefine the scope of waters regulated under the federal Clean Water Act.  The final rule was issued in June 2015 and became effective in August 2015, but has been challenged through numerous lawsuits. In October 2015, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued an order staying the effectiveness of the final rule until after the legal validity of the regulation is resolved. We believe the new definition would expand the types and extent of water resources regulated under federal law, thereby potentially expanding our permitting and reporting requirements, increasing our costs of compliance, including costs associated with wetlands and stream mitigation, lengthening the time necessary to obtain permits, and potentially restricting our ability to mine certain of our phosphate rock reserves.  These effects could be material.

Regulatory restrictions on greenhouse gas emissions and climate change regulations in the United States, Canada or elsewhere could adversely affect us, and these effects could be material.

Various governmental initiatives to limit greenhouse gas emissions are under way or under consideration around the world. These initiatives could restrict our operating activities, require us to make changes in our operating activities that would increase our operating costs, reduce our efficiency or limit our output, require us to make capital improvements to our facilities, increase our energy, raw material and transportation costs or limit their availability, or otherwise adversely affect our results of operations, liquidity or capital resources, and these effects could be material to us.

Governmental greenhouse gas emission initiatives include, among others , the December 2015 agreement (the “ Paris Agreement ”) which was the outcome of the 21 ^st session of the Conference of the Parties under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The Paris Agreement, which was signed by nearly 200 nations including the United States and Canada, entered into force in late 2016 and sets out a goal of limiting the average rise in temperatures for this century to below 2 degrees Celsius. Each signatory is expected to develop its own plan (referred to as a Nationally Determined Contribution, or “ NDC ”) for reaching that goal.

The NDC submitted by the United States in 2015 aims to achieve, by 2025, an economy-wide target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 26-28% below its 2005 level. It also aims to use best efforts to reduce its emissions by 28%. The U.S. target covers all greenhouse gases that were a part of the 2014 Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. While it is unclear whether the new U.S. executive administration will seek to implement the U.S. NDC, various legislative or regulatory initiatives relating to greenhouse gases have already been adopted or considered by the U.S. Congress, EPA or various states and those already adopted may be used to implement the U.S.’s NDC. Additionally, more stringent laws and regulations may be enacted to accomplish the goals set out in the NDC.

Canada’s intended NDC aims to achieve, by 2030, an economy-wide target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 30% below 2005 levels. In addition, in late 2016 the federal government announced plans for a comprehensive tax on carbon

emissions, under which provinces opting out of the tax would have the option of adopting a cap-and-trade system. While no tax has formally been proposed, as implementation of the Paris Agreement proceeds, more stringent laws and regulations may be enacted to accomplish the goals set out in Canada’s NDC. In addition, the Province of Saskatchewan, in which our Canadian potash mines are located, has passed legislation to facilitate the development and administration of climate change regulation in Saskatchewan by the Province rather than the federal government. This legislation is not yet effective, but key elements under consideration by the Province include establishing a provincial greenhouse gas emission reduction target, and compliance mechanisms that would provide flexibility for regulated emitters to meet their greenhouse gas reduction obligations. Our Saskatchewan Potash facilities will continue to work with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment and Environment Canada, through participation in industry associations, to determine next steps. We will also continue to monitor developments relating to the anticipated proposed legislation, as well as the potential future effect on our operating activities, energy, raw material and transportation costs, results of operations, liquidity or capital resources.

It is possible that future legislation or regulation addressing climate change, including in response to the Paris Agreement or any new international agreements, could adversely affect our operating activities, energy, raw material and transportation costs, results of operations, liquidity or capital resources, and these effects could be material. In addition, to the extent climate change restrictions imposed in countries where our competitors operate, such as China, India, Former Soviet Union countries or Morocco, are less stringent than in the United States or Canada, our competitors could gain cost or other competitive advantages over us.

Future climate change could adversely affect us.

The prospective impact of climate change on our operations and those of our customers and farmers remains uncertain. Scientists have hypothesized that the impacts of climate change could include changes in rainfall patterns, water shortages, changing sea levels, changing storm patterns and intensities, and changing temperature levels and that these changes could be severe. These impacts could vary by geographic location. At the present time, we cannot predict the prospective impact of climate change on our results of operations, liquidity or capital resources, or whether any such effects could be material to us.

Some of our competitors and potential competitors have greater resources than we do, which may place us at a competitive disadvantage and adversely affect our sales and profitability. These competitors include state-owned and government-subsidized entities in other countries.

We compete with a number of producers throughout the world, including state-owned and government-subsidized entities. Some of these entities may have greater total resources than we do, and may be less dependent on earnings from crop nutrients sales than we are. In addition, some of these entities may have access to lower cost or government-subsidized natural gas supplies, placing us at a competitive disadvantage. Furthermore, certain governments as owners of some of our competitors may be willing to accept lower prices and profitability on their products in order to support domestic employment or other political or social goals. To the extent other producers of crop nutrients enjoy competitive advantages or are willing to accept lower profit levels, the price of our products, our sales volumes and our profits may be adversely affected.

We do not own a controlling equity interest in our non-consolidated companies, some of which are foreign companies, and therefore our operating results and cash flow may be materially affected by how the governing boards and majority owners operate such businesses. There may also be limitations on monetary distributions from these companies that are outside of our control. Together, these factors may lower our equity earnings or cash flow from such businesses and negatively impact our results of operations.

In 2013 we entered into an agreement to form MWSPC, a joint venture to develop a mine and chemical complexes for an estimated $8.0 billion that is expected to produce phosphate fertilizers and other downstream products in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We have a 25% interest in the joint venture and expect our cash investment will be up to $850 million , approximately $707 million of which had been funded as of December 31, 2016. We also expect to provide financial guarantees with respect to our proportionate share of certain future planned funding facilities of MWSPC. The success of MWSPC will depend on, among other matters, its ability to obtain the future planned funding facilities in acceptable amounts and upon acceptable terms, the timely development and commencement of operations of production facilities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the future success of current plans for the development and operation of MWSPC, including the availability and affordability of necessary resources and materials and access to appropriate infrastructure, and any future changes in those plans, as well as the general economic and political stability of the region.

We also hold minority ownership interests in a joint venture that owns and operates a phosphate rock mine and in other companies that are not controlled by us. We expect that the operations and results of MWSPC will be, and the operations or

results of some of the other joint ventures or companies are, significant to us, and their operations can affect our earnings. Because we do not control these companies either at the board or stockholder levels and because local laws in foreign jurisdictions and contractual obligations may place restrictions on monetary distributions by these companies, we cannot ensure that these companies will operate efficiently (or, in the case of MWSPC, in compliance with the terms of any future funding facility for which we may provide financial guarantees), pay dividends, or generally follow the desires of our management by virtue of our board or stockholder representation. As a result, these companies may contribute less than anticipated to our earnings and cash flow, negatively impacting our results of operations and liquidity. Additionally, in the case of MWSPC we may be called upon to provide funds to satisfy MWSPC's debt obligations to the extent we provide financial guarantees in connection with future planned funding facilities as discussed above.

Strikes or other forms of work stoppage or slowdown could disrupt our business and lead to increased costs.

Our financial performance is dependent on a reliable and productive work force. A significant portion of our workforce, and that of the joint ventures in which we participate, is covered by collective bargaining agreements with unions. Unsuccessful contract negotiations or adverse labor relations could result in strikes or slowdowns. Any disruptions may decrease our production and sales or impose additional costs to resolve disputes. The risk of adverse labor relations may increase as our profitability increases because labor unions’ expectations and demands generally rise at those times.

Accidents occurring in the course of our operating activities could result in significant liabilities, interruptions or shutdowns of facilities or the need for significant safety or other expenditures.

We engage in mining and industrial activities that can result in serious accidents. If our safety procedures are not effective, or if an accident occurs, we could be subject to liabilities arising out of personal injuries or death, our operations could be interrupted and we might have to shut down or abandon affected facilities. Accidents could cause us to expend significant amounts to remediate safety issues or to repair damaged facilities. For example:  

The excavation of mines can result in potential seismic events or can increase the likelihood or potential severity of a seismic event. The rise and fall of water levels, such as those arising from the brine inflows and our remediation activities at our Esterhazy mine, can also result in or increase the likelihood or potential severity of a seismic event. Our Esterhazy mine has experienced minor seismic events from time to time. A significant seismic event at one of our mines could result in serious injuries or death, or damage to or flooding of the mine or, in the extreme scenario, cause us to change our mining process or abandon the mine.  

Our underground potash shaft mines at Esterhazy and Colonsay, Saskatchewan and Carlsbad, New Mexico are subject to risk from fire. Any failure of our safety procedures in the future could result in serious injuries or death, or shutdowns, which could result in significant liabilities and/or impact on the financial performance of our Potash business, including a possible material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity or financial condition.  

We produce ammonia at our Faustina, Louisiana phosphate concentrates plant, use ammonia in significant quantities at all of our Florida and Louisiana phosphates concentrates plants and store ammonia at some of our distribution facilities. For our Florida phosphates concentrates plants, ammonia is received at terminals in Tampa and transported by pipelines and rail to our facilities. Our ammonia is generally stored and transported at high pressures or cryogenically. An accident could occur that could result in serious injuries or death, or the evacuation of areas near an accident. An accident could also result in property damage or the shutdown of our Florida or Louisiana phosphates concentrates plants, the ammonia terminals, pipelines or rail lines serving those plants or our other ammonia storage and handling facilities. As a result, an accident involving ammonia could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity or financial condition.  

We use sulfuric acid in the production of concentrated phosphates in our Florida and Louisiana operations. Some of our Florida and Louisiana facilities produce fluorosilicic acid, which is a hazardous chemical, for resale to third parties. We also use or produce other hazardous or volatile chemicals at some of our facilities. An accident involving any of these chemicals could result in serious injuries or death, or evacuation of areas near an accident. An accident could also result in property damage or shutdown of our facilities, or cause us to expend significant amounts to remediate safety issues or to repair damaged facilities. As a result, an accident involving any of these chemicals could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, liquidity or financial condition.

Deliberate, malicious acts, including terrorism, could damage our facilities, disrupt our operations or injure employees, contractors, customers or the public and result in liability to us.

Intentional acts of destruction could hinder our sales or production and disrupt our supply chain. Our facilities could be damaged or destroyed, reducing our operational production capacity and requiring us to repair or replace our facilities at substantial cost. Employees, contractors and the public could suffer substantial physical injury for which we could be liable. Governmental authorities may impose security or other requirements that could make our operations more difficult or costly. The consequences of any such actions could adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

We may be adversely affected by changing antitrust laws to which we are subject. Increases in crop nutrient prices can increase the scrutiny to which we are subject under these laws.

We are subject to antitrust and competition laws in various countries throughout the world. We cannot predict how these laws or their interpretation, administration and enforcement will change over time. Changes in antitrust laws globally, or in their interpretation, administration or enforcement, may limit our existing or future operations and growth, or the operations of Canpotex, which serves as an export association for our Potash business. Increases in crop nutrient prices have in the past resulted in increased scrutiny of the crop nutrient industry under antitrust and competition laws and can increase the risk that these laws could be interpreted, administered or enforced in a manner that could affect our operating practices or impose liability on us in a manner that could materially adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

We may be adversely affected by other changes in laws resulting from increases in food and crop nutrient prices.

Increases in prices for, among other things, food, fuel and crop inputs (including crop nutrients) have in the past been the subject of significant discussion by various governmental bodies and officials throughout the world. In response to increases, it is possible that governments in one or more of the locations in which we operate or where we or our competitors sell our products could take actions that could affect us. Such actions could include, among other matters, changes in governmental policies relating to agriculture and biofuels (including changes in subsidy levels), price controls, tariffs, windfall profits taxes or export or import taxes. Any such actions could materially adversely affect our operating results and financial condition.

Our competitive position could be adversely affected if we are unable to participate in continuing industry consolidation.

Most of our products are readily available from a number of competitors, and price and other competition in the crop nutrient industry is intense. In addition, crop nutrient production facilities and distribution activities frequently benefit from economies of scale. As a result, particularly during pronounced cyclical troughs, the crop nutrient industry has a long history of consolidation. Mosaic itself is the result of a number of industry consolidations. We expect consolidation among crop nutrient producers could continue. Our competitive position could suffer to the extent we are not able to expand our own resources either through consolidations, acquisitions, joint ventures or partnerships. In the future, we may not be able to find suitable companies to combine with, assets to purchase or joint venture or partnership opportunities to pursue. Even if we are able to locate desirable opportunities, we may not be able to enter into transactions on economically acceptable terms. If we do not successfully participate in continuing industry consolidation, our ability to compete successfully could be adversely affected and result in the loss of customers or an uncompetitive cost structure, which could adversely affect our sales and profitability.

Our strategy for managing market and interest rate risk may not be effective.

Our businesses are affected by fluctuations in market prices for our products, the purchase price of natural gas, ammonia and sulfur consumed in operations, freight and shipping costs, foreign currency exchange rates and interest rates. We periodically

enter into derivatives and forward purchase contracts to mitigate some of these risks. However, our strategy may not be successful in minimizing our exposure to these fluctuations. See “Market Risk” in our Management’s Analysis and Note 14 of our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements that is incorporated by reference in this report in Part II, Item 8.

A shortage or unavailability of railcars, tugs, barges and ships for carrying our products and the raw materials we use in our business could result in customer dissatisfaction, loss of production or sales and higher transportation or equipment costs.

We rely heavily upon truck, rail, tug, barge and ocean freight transportation to obtain the raw materials we need and to deliver our products to our customers. In addition, the cost of transportation is an important part of the final sale price of our products. Finding affordable and dependable transportation is important in obtaining our raw materials and to supply our customers. Higher costs for these transportation services or an interruption or slowdown due to factors including high demand, high fuel prices, labor disputes, layoffs or other factors affecting the availability of qualified transportation workers, adverse weather or other environmental events, or changes to rail, barge or ocean freight systems, could negatively affect our ability to produce our products or deliver them to our customers, which could affect our performance and results of operations.

Strong demand for grain and other products and a strong world economy increase the demand for and reduce the availability of transportation, both domestically and internationally. Shortages of railcars, barges and ocean transport for carrying product and increased transit time may result in customer dissatisfaction, loss of sales and higher equipment and transportation costs. In addition, during periods when the shipping industry has a shortage of ships the substantial time needed to build new ships prevents rapid market response. Delays and missed shipments due to transportation shortages, including vessels, barges, railcars and trucks, could result in customer dissatisfaction or loss of sales potential, which could negatively affect our performance and results of operations.

Additionally, we have agreed under our long-term CF Ammonia Supply Agreement to purchase approximately 545,000 to 725,000 tonnes of ammonia per year beginning with 2017, during a term that may extend until December 31, 2032, at a price to be determined by a formula based on the prevailing price of U.S. natural gas. For 2017, our remaining minimum purchase obligation is approximately 410,000 tonnes following our entry into a separate arrangement with CF under which we were deemed to have purchased approximately 135,000 tonnes in exchange for providing ammonia storage space and use of related terminal facilities to CF. We will be obligated to provide for transportation of the ammonia under the agreement, and if we fail to take the required minimum annual amount, CF may elect to require us to make payment of liquidated damages or, with respect to such failures in years after 2017, terminate the agreement. Payment of significant liquidated damages or an election by CF to terminate the agreement could adversely affect our business.

A lack of customers’ access to credit can adversely affect their ability to purchase our products.

Some of our customers require access to credit to purchase our products. A lack of available credit to customers in one or more countries, due to global or local economic conditions or for other reasons, could adversely affect demand for crop nutrients.

We extend trade credit to our customers and guarantee the financing that some of our customers use to purchase our products. Our results of operations may be adversely affected if these customers are unable to repay the trade credit from us or financing from their banks. Increases in prices for crop nutrient, other agricultural inputs and grain may increase this risk.

We extend trade credit to our customers in the United States and throughout the world, in some cases for extended periods of time. In Brazil, where there are fewer third-party financing sources available to farmers, we also have several programs under which we guarantee customers’ financing from financial institutions that they use to purchase our products. As our exposure to longer trade credit extended throughout the world and use of guarantees in Brazil increases, we are increasingly exposed to the risk that some of our customers will not pay us or the amounts we have guaranteed. Additionally, we become increasingly exposed to risk due to weather and crop growing conditions, fluctuations in commodity prices or foreign currencies, and other factors that influence the price, supply and demand for agricultural commodities. Significant defaults by our customers could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

Increases in prices for crop nutrients increase the dollar amount of our sales to customers. The larger dollar value of our customers’ purchases may also lead them to request longer trade credit from us and/or increase their need for us to guarantee their financing of our products. Either factor could increase the amount of our exposure to the risk that our customers may be unable to repay the trade credit from us or financing from their banks that we guarantee. In addition, increases in prices for

other agricultural inputs and grain may increase the working capital requirements, indebtedness and other liabilities of our customers, increase the risk that they will default on the trade credit from us or their financing that we guarantee, and decrease the likelihood that we will be able to collect from our customers in the event of their default.

Tax rules governing the Cargill Transaction limited our ability to execute certain actions for a period of time following the Cargill Transaction and, if our procedures for compliance with those restrictions were ineffective, notwithstanding the IRS ruling and tax opinion issued to Cargill in connection with the Cargill Transaction, we could owe significant tax-related indemnification liabilities to Cargill.

The IRS issued a ruling to the effect that the Split-off that was part of the Cargill Transaction would be tax-free to Cargill and its stockholders, and in connection with the completion of the Cargill Transaction, Cargill received a tax opinion relating to certain tax consequences of the Cargill Transaction. Notwithstanding the IRS ruling and tax opinion, however, the Split-off and Debt Exchanges could be taxable to Cargill and its stockholders under certain circumstances. Therefore, we and Cargill agreed to tax-related restrictions and indemnities set forth in a tax agreement related to the Cargill Transaction, under which we were restricted or deterred from taking certain actions until May 26, 2013, including (i) redeeming or purchasing our stock in excess of agreed-upon amounts; (ii) issuing any equity securities in excess of agreed upon amounts; (iii) approving or recommending a third party’s acquisition of us; (iv) permitting any merger or other combination of Mosaic or MOS Holdings Inc.; and (v) entering into an agreement for the purchase of any interest in Mosaic or MOS Holdings Inc., subject to certain exceptions. We agreed to indemnify Cargill for taxes and tax-related losses imposed on Cargill as a result of the Split-off and/or Debt Exchange failing to qualify as tax-free, if the taxes and related losses are attributable to, arise out of or result from certain prohibited acts or to any breach of, or inaccuracy in, any representation, warranty or covenant made by us in the tax agreement referred to above. The taxes and tax-related losses of Cargill would be material if these transactions fail to qualify as tax-free, and, while we do not believe we engaged in any prohibited acts during the relevant period, if our procedures for avoiding any of these prohibited acts or breaches were ineffective, this indemnity would result in material liabilities from us to Cargill that could have a material adverse effect on us. For a further discussion of the restrictions and indemnities set forth in the agreements related to the Cargill Transaction, please see Note 18 to our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements.

Provisions in our restated certificate of incorporation and bylaws and of Delaware law may prevent or delay an acquisition of our company, which could decrease the trading price of our common stock.

Our restated certificate of incorporation and our amended and restated bylaws contain provisions that could have the effect of rendering more difficult or discouraging an acquisition deemed undesirable by our board of directors. These provisions include the ability of our board of directors to issue preferred stock without stockholder approval, a prohibition on stockholder action by written consent and the inability of our stockholders to request that our board of directors or chairman of our board call a special meeting of stockholders.

We are also subject to Section 203 of the Delaware General Corporation Law. In general, Section 203 prohibits a publicly held Delaware corporation from engaging in a “business combination” with an “interested stockholder” for a period of three years from the date of the transaction in which the person became an interested stockholder, unless the interested stockholder attained this status with the approval of the board of directors or unless the business combination was approved in a prescribed manner. A “business combination” includes mergers, asset sales and other transactions resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with affiliates and associates, owns, or within three years owned, 15% or more of the corporation’s voting stock. This statute could prohibit or delay the accomplishment of mergers or other takeover or change in control attempts with respect to us and, accordingly, may discourage attempts to acquire us.

These provisions apply not only when they may protect our stockholders from coercive or otherwise unfair takeover tactics but even if the offer may be considered beneficial by some stockholders and could delay or prevent an acquisition that our board of directors determines is not in our best interests or those of our stockholders.

Our success will continue to depend on our ability to attract and retain highly qualified and motivated employees.

We believe our continued success depends on the collective abilities and efforts of our employees. Like many businesses, a significant number of our employees, including some of our most highly skilled employees with specialized expertise in potash and phosphates operations, will be approaching retirement age throughout the next decade and beyond. In addition, we compete for a talented workforce with other businesses, particularly within the mining and chemicals industries in general and the crop nutrients industry in particular. Our expansion plans are highly dependent on our ability to attract, retain and train highly qualified and motivated employees who are essential to the success of our ongoing operations as well as to our

expansion plans. If we were to be unsuccessful in attracting, retaining and training the employees we require, our ongoing operations and expansion plans could be materially and adversely affected.

Future product or technological innovation could affect our business.

Future product or technological innovation such as the development of seeds that require less crop nutrients, the development of substitutes for our products or developments in the application of crop nutrients, if they occur, could have the potential to adversely affect the demand for our products and our results of operations, liquidity and capital resources.

Our acquisition of the global phosphate and potash operations of Vale S.A. (“Vale”) conducted through Vale Fertilizantes S.A. (the “Transaction”) is subject to review under antitrust laws and requires governmental approvals which could jeopardize completion of the acquisition or in some cases impose conditions on the acquisition that could have a material adverse effect on our ability to realize the anticipated benefits of the Transaction.

Completion of the Transaction is conditioned upon obtaining certain required governmental authorizations. There can be no assurance that the authorizations will be obtained, and we and the sellers are not obligated to accept any and all conditions imposed by governmental authorities in order to obtain such authorizations. In addition, the governmental authorities with or from which these authorizations are required have broad discretion in administering the governing regulations. As a condition to authorization of the acquisition, these governmental authorities may impose requirements, limitations or costs or require divestitures or place restrictions on our conduct of the business after completion of the Transaction. Our acceptance of any such divestiture requests or other restrictions on operations could diminish the benefits of the Transaction and result in additional transaction costs, loss of revenue or other effects associated with restrictions on business operations.

In addition, at any time before or after completion of the acquisition, the Antitrust Division of the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, any state or certain foreign governments could take various actions under antitrust, competition or similar laws, including seeking to enjoin the completion of the Transaction or to rescind the Transaction. Private parties also may seek to take legal action under antitrust, competition or similar laws under certain circumstances. A challenge to the Transaction on antitrust, competition or similar grounds may be made by any of these governmental or private parties and, if such a challenge is made, it is possible that we and the sellers will not prevail.

The Transaction is also subject to additional risks, contingencies and uncertainties that could result in delays to completion of the Transaction, in the failure of the Transaction to be completed or in our inability to realize the anticipated benefits and synergies of the Transaction.

Completion of the Transaction is subject to certain additional closing conditions, including (i) the timely completion of restructuring transactions by the sellers, including the transfer of Vale Fertilizantes S.A.’s Cubatão business to Vale and its affiliates; (ii) the achievement of certain additional specified regulatory and operational milestones; and (iii) the absence of governmental actions due to the recent water loss incident at our New Wales, Florida facility that result in a reduction or suspension of operations or increased operating costs at the facility and would be reasonably be expected to materially adversely impact Mosaic and its subsidiaries, taken as a whole. Any failure to satisfy these conditions could result in delays to completion of the Transaction or in the failure of the Transaction to be completed.

There are also additional risks, contingencies and uncertainties associated with the Transaction, including:

The success of our other strategic initiatives depends on our ability to effectively manage these initiatives, and to successfully integrate and grow acquired businesses.

In addition to the Transaction, we have other significant ongoing strategic initiatives including, principally our plans to expand the annual production capacity of our Potash business and MWSPC. These strategic initiatives involve capital and other expenditures of several billions of dollars over a number of years and require effective project management and, in the case of strategic acquisitions, successful integration. To the extent the processes we (or, for the MWSPC, we together with Ma’aden and SABIC) put in place to manage these initiatives or integrate and grow acquired businesses are not effective, our capital expenditure and other costs may exceed our expectations or the benefits we expect from these initiatives might not be fully realized.

We may fail to fully realize the anticipated benefits and cost savings of our long-term CF Ammonia Supply Agreement.

We use ammonia as a raw material in the production of our concentrated phosphate products. Under our long-term CF Ammonia Supply Agreement we have agreed to purchase approximately 545,000 to 725,000 tonnes of ammonia per year during a term that may extend until December 31, 2032 at a price to be determined by a formula based on the prevailing price of U.S. natural gas.

The success of this agreement will depend, in part, on our ability to realize cost savings from the agreement’s natural gas based pricing. If the price of natural gas rises materially or the market price for ammonia falls outside of the range we currently anticipate over the term of the agreement, we may not realize a cost benefit from the agreement, or the cost of our ammonia under the agreement could be a competitive disadvantage. In addition, our ability to realize benefits and cost savings is subject to certain additional risks including whether CF successfully performs its obligations under the agreement over the life of its commitment and our ability to take delivery of the required minimum annual amount of ammonia over the life of our commitment. We discuss the risks associated with our obligations under this agreement in more detail earlier in this Risk Factors section.

Cyber attacks could disrupt our operations and have a material adverse impact on our business.

As a global company, we utilize and rely upon information technology systems in many aspects of our business, including internal and external communications and the management of our accounting, financial, production and supply chain functions.  As we become more dependent on information technologies to conduct our operations, and as the number and sophistication of cyber attacks increase, the risks associated with cyber security increase.  These risks apply both to us, and to third parties on whose systems we rely for the conduct of our business.  Failure to effectively anticipate, prevent, detect and recover from the increasing number and sophistication of cyber attacks could result in theft, loss or misuse of, or damage or modification of our information, and cause disruptions or delays in our business, reputational damage and third-party claims, which could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations or financial condition.

Item 1B. Unresolved Staff Comments.

None.

Item 2. Properties.

Information regarding our plant and properties is included in Part I, Item 1, “Business,” of this report.

Item 3. Legal Proceedings.

We have included information about legal and environmental proceedings in Note 21 of our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements. This information is incorporated herein by reference.

We are also subject to the following legal and environmental proceeding in addition to those described in Note 21 of our Notes to Consolidated Financial Statements:  

On September 20, 2013, the Louisiana District Court issued a decision in this matter, holding that while EPA was required to respond directly to the petition and find that numeric nutrient criteria either were or were not necessary for the Mississippi River watershed, EPA had the discretion to decide this issue based on non-technical factors, including cost, policy considerations, administrative complexity and other issues. EPA appealed this decision to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals (the " Court of Appeals ") in November 2013. The Court of Appeals issued a decision on April 7, 2015, holding in substantial part that EPA was not obligated to make a determination that numeric nutrient criteria are or are not necessary, provided EPA gives a reasonable explanation for its conclusion. The Court of Appeals remanded the case to the Louisiana District Court to decide whether EPA can meet that burden. On November 20, 2015 EPA filed a motion with the Louisiana District Court seeking summary judgment and on January 14, 2016, non-state intervenors including Mosaic filed a brief supporting EPA's motion. On December 15, 2016, the Louisiana District Court granted EPA's motion for summary judgment.

To the extent the plaintiffs appeal the Louisiana District Court decision, we intend to continue to defend vigorously EPA’s position. In the event that EPA were to establish numeric nutrient criteria for nitrogen and phosphorous in the Mississippi River basin and the Gulf of Mexico, we cannot predict what its requirements would be or the effects it would have on us or our customers.

Item 4. Mine Safety Disclosures.

Information concerning mine safety violations or other regulatory matters required by Section 1503(a) of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and Item 104 of Regulation S-K is included in Exhibit 95 to this report.