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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2003

Commission file number: 1-8520

TERRA INDUSTRIES INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

Maryland

(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)

52-1145429

(I.R.S. Employer Identification No.)

Terra Centre 600 Fourth Street P.O. Box 6000 Sioux City, Iowa

(Address of principal executive offices)

51102-6000

(Zip Code)

Registrant’s telephone number, including area code: (712) 277-1340

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act: None

Indicate by check mark whether the Registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the Registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.    Yes  x    No  ¨

Indicate by check mark if disclosure of delinquent filers pursuant to Item 405 of Regulation S-K (§ 229.405 of this chapter) is not contained herein, and will not be contained, to the best of Registrant’s knowledge, in definitive proxy or information statements incorporated by reference in Part III of this Form 10-K or any amendment to this Form 10-K.  x

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an accelerated filer (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Act.)    Yes  x    No  ¨

The aggregate market value of the voting and non-voting common shares held by non-affiliates computed by reference to the price at which the common shares were last sold, or the average bid and asked price of such common shares, as of the last business day of the registrant’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter was $40,716,528.10

The number of shares of Common Shares, without par value, outstanding as of March 1, 2004 was 77,597,647.

Documents Incorporated by Reference

Certain portions of the proxy statement for the Annual Meeting of Stockholders of Registrant to be held on May 4, 2004 are incorporated herein by reference into Part III hereof.

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ITEMS 1 AND 2. BUSINESS AND PROPERTIES

Terra Industries Inc., a Maryland corporation, is referred to as “Terra,” “we” or “our” throughout this report. References to Terra also include the direct and indirect subsidiaries of Terra Industries Inc. where required by the context. Subsidiaries not wholly-owned by Terra include a limited partnership, Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P., which, through its subsidiary, Terra Nitrogen, L.P., operates Terra’s manufacturing facilities in Blytheville, Arkansas and Verdigris, Oklahoma. Terra is the sole general partner and the majority limited partner in Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P. Terra’s principal corporate office is located at Terra Centre, 600 Fourth Street, P.O. Box 6000, Sioux City, Iowa 51102-6000 and its telephone number is (712) 277-1340.

Terra makes available free of charge through its web site, www.terraindustries.com, its annual report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q, current reports on Form 8-K and all amendments to those reports as soon as reasonably practicable after such material is electronically filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Terra’s internet web site and the information contained or incorporated therein are not intended to be incorporated into this Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Business Overview

Terra is a leading North American and U.K. producer and marketer of nitrogen products serving both agricultural and industrial end-use markets. Terra is one of the largest North American producers of ammonia, the basic building block of nitrogen fertilizers. We upgrade a significant portion of the ammonia we produce into higher value products, which are easier for agricultural end-users to transport, store and apply to crops than ammonia. In addition, Terra is the largest U.S. producer of merchant methanol. We own eight manufacturing facilities in North America and the U.K. that produce nitrogen products. Two of these facilities also produce methanol.

Nitrogen is both a global and local commodity: global because it is both produced and traded in almost all regions of the world, local because local fertilizer customers display preferences for nitrogen in one of four basic forms based upon local conditions. The principal forms of nitrogen fertilizer products that are traded globally are ammonia (82% nitrogen by weight) and, to a lesser extent, urea (46% nitrogen by weight) and ammonium nitrate (AN), (34% nitrogen by weight). Urea ammonium nitrate (UAN) has only recently been traded in international markets. It is less likely to be traded because it has a high cost of transportation due to its high water content. Because transportation is a significant component of a customer’s total cost, a key to competitiveness in the nitrogen business is to have the lowest delivered cost for the customer’s product of choice, while providing a reliable source of supply.

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The locations of Terra’s North American production facilities provide it with a competitive advantage in serving agricultural customers in the Corn Belt and other major agricultural areas of the United States and Canada. Terra’s U.K. facilities are able to serve competitively the entire British agricultural market. Terra’s facilities have the following production capacities:

The principal customers for Terra’s North American nitrogen products are national agricultural retail chains (such as UAP and Cargill), farm cooperatives, independent dealers and industrial customers (such as DuPont). Industrial customers use our products to manufacture chemicals and plastics such as acrylonitrile, polyurethanes, fibers, explosives and adhesives. Agricultural customers accounted for approximately 76% and industrial customers approximately 24% of Terra’s North American nitrogen product revenue in 2003. In the U.K., revenues are evenly divided between agricultural and industrial customers.

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During December 2003, Terra entered into contracts with the Methanex Corporation (“Methanex”) providing it exclusive rights to all methanol production at the Beaumont facility for five years. Methanex paid $25 million for the exclusive rights and will purchase production from Terra at values expected to approximate cash production costs. Methanex will also pay Terra 50% of gross profits earned from its sales of Beaumont product up to maximum payments to Terra of $12 million per year. Methanex has the right to terminate Beaumont production during the agreement, and Terra would be responsible for the costs of shutting down the facility. Terra also entered into an agreement for Methanex to market, under a commission arrangement, all methanol produced at the Woodward facility. The customers under these arrangements are primarily large domestic chemical producers.

Company Strategies

Enhance Competitive Position Through Continued Efficiency Improvement

Terra intends to continue to improve its competitive position in the worldwide nitrogen fertilizer industry by enhancing the operating and energy efficiency of its plants while rigorously controlling fixed costs. We have upgraded and will continue to upgrade our equipment and processes through prudent investment and personnel training.

Use Natural Gas Contracts to Protect Margins

Natural gas costs in 2003 accounted for approximately 66% of total costs and expenses for Terra’s North American nitrogen products business, 44% of total costs and expenses for the U.K. nitrogen products business and 72% of total costs and expenses for the methanol business. It is Terra’s normal practice to fix or cap the price of a substantial portion of its future natural gas requirements through supply contracts, financial derivatives and other instruments. These tools are used to lock in natural gas costs and protect against an adverse impact on margins due to increases in natural gas costs.

Pursue New Market Opportunities

Terra will pursue new market opportunities such as those presented as a result of recent environmental regulations promoting the use of ammonia to clean airborne pollutants emitted by power generating plants. We believe these regulations could increase the annual demand for ammonia by up to 2 million tons, or 13% of total U.S. capacity, by 2012. Terra is working with customers, including power producers, to provide the nitrogen products, storage facilities and handling expertise they need for these purposes.

Maintain Leadership Positions in Our Key Products

Terra intends to maintain its leading market positions in its key markets by focusing on being a reliable, low-cost supplier of our products to our existing customers and by identifying new customers and end markets for our products.

Reduce Financial Leverage

Terra’s primary financial strategy is to use operating cash flows to reduce net debt balances and/or issue new equity to finance opportunities expected to improve operating cash flows.

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Nitrogen Business Segment

Terra is a leading producer and marketer of nitrogen products, principally fertilizers. We upgrade a significant portion of the ammonia that we produce into other nitrogen products, such as urea, ammonium nitrate (AN) and urea ammonium nitrate (UAN). Ammonia, urea and UAN are the principal nitrogen products we produce and sell in North America. Terra produces and sells primarily ammonia and AN in the U.K. Other important products that we manufacture in both the U.S. and U.K. include nitric acid and carbon dioxide. These products, along with a portion of our ammonia and urea production, are used as non-agricultural industrial feedstocks.

Although these different nitrogen products are interchangeable to some extent, each has its own characteristics which make one product or another preferable to the end-user. Terra’s plants are designed to provide the products preferred by end-users in the regions in which they are located. These preferences vary according to the crop planted, soil and weather conditions, regional farming practices, relative prices, and the cost and availability of appropriate storage, handling and application equipment. Terra’s nitrogen products are described in greater detail below.

Ammonia

Ammonia is the simplest form of nitrogen fertilizer and is the feedstock for the production of other nitrogen fertilizers, including urea, AN and UAN. Ammonia is also widely used in industrial applications. Ammonia is produced when natural gas reacts with steam and air at high temperatures and pressures in the presence of catalysts. Ammonia has a nitrogen content of 82% by weight and is generally the least expensive form of fertilizer on a per pound of contained nitrogen basis. Although generally the cheapest source of nitrogen available to agricultural customers, ammonia can be less desirable to end-users than UAN or urea because of the need for specialized application equipment and the lack of application flexibility.

Urea

Terra produces urea for both the fertilizer and animal feed markets by converting ammonia and carbon dioxide into liquid urea, which can be further processed into a solid, granular form. Urea is also used in industrial applications. Granular urea has a nitrogen content of 46% by weight, the highest level of any solid nitrogen product. Terra produces both a granulated form of urea, generally for the fertilizer market, and urea liquor (liquid) for animal feed supplements and industrial applications.

Ammonium Nitrate

Terra produces AN at two facilities in the U.K. AN is produced by combining nitric acid and ammonia into a liquid form which is then converted to a solid, largely for fertilizer applications. The nitrogen content of AN is 34% by weight. AN is the preferred fertilizer in the British agricultural market.

Urea Ammonium Nitrate

UAN is a liquid fertilizer and, unlike ammonia, is odorless and does not require refrigeration or pressurization for transportation or storage. UAN is produced by combining liquid urea, liquid ammonium nitrate and water. The nitrogen content of UAN ranges from 28% to 32% by weight. Because of its high water content, UAN is relatively expensive to transport, making this largely a regionally distributed product.

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UAN can be applied to crops directly or can be mixed with crop protection products, permitting the application of several materials simultaneously, reducing energy and labor costs and accelerating field preparation for planting. In addition, UAN may be applied from ordinary tanks and trucks and can be sprayed or injected into the soil, or applied through irrigation systems, throughout the growing season, providing significant application flexibility. Due to its stability, UAN may be used for no-till row crops where fertilizer is spread on the surface of the soil but may be subject to evaporation losses.

Manufacturing Facilities

Terra’s eight fertilizer manufacturing facilities are designed to operate continuously, except for planned shutdowns (usually biennial) for maintenance and efficiency improvements. Capacity utilization (gross tons produced divided by capacity tons at expected operating rates and on-stream factors) of our nitrogen products manufacturing facilities was 91%, 97% and 81% in 2003, 2002 and 2001, respectively. Our capacity utilization was reduced in 2003 and 2001, reflecting several plant shutdowns due to natural gas prices increasing faster than nitrogen prices. Capacity utilization increased in 2002 due to lower gas price, high production rates, good plant reliability, and reduced shutdowns for planned maintenance.

Terra owns all of its manufacturing facilities, unless otherwise indicated below. (See “Methanol Business Segment—Manufacturing Facilities” for a description of our Beaumont, Texas facility.)

The Verdigris, Oklahoma facility is one of the largest UAN production facilities in North America. Located at the Verdigris, Oklahoma facility are two ammonia plants, two nitric acid plants, two UAN plants and a port terminal. Terra owns the plants, while the port terminal is leased from the Tulsa-Rogers County Port Authority. The leasehold interest on the port terminal is scheduled to expire in April 2004, and Terra has an option to renew the lease for an additional five-year term. We also have UAN upgrading capability at our facilities in Port Neal, Iowa; Courtright, Ontario; Woodward, Oklahoma and Blytheville, Arkansas.

Terra believes it has some of the most efficient UAN plants in North America, including three of the five lowest-cost plants in terms of delivered cost to end-users. The location of our Port Neal, Iowa and Courtright, Ontario plants, with low-cost access to nearby Corn Belt markets, allows these plants to be among the most efficient in North America as measured by delivered cost to the end-user. Because of UAN’s relatively high transportation costs due to its water content, there is less competition from importers than for ammonia or urea. Four of our facilities are able to provide UAN locally by truck which also offers a competitive advantage in serving agricultural customers due to the high cost of transporting UAN.

The Blytheville, Arkansas facility consists of an ammonia plant, a granular urea plant and a UAN plant. The ammonia plant is leased from the City of Blytheville at a nominal annual rate. The ammonia plant lease is scheduled to expire in November 2009, and we have an option to extend the lease for eleven successive terms of five years each at the same rental rate. Terra has an unconditional option to purchase the plant for a nominal price at the end of the lease term (including any renewal term). The urea plant is also leased from the City of Blytheville. The urea plant lease is scheduled to expire in November 2005,

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and we have an option to extend the lease for three successive terms of five years each at the same rental rate. Terra also has a similar, unconditional option to purchase the urea plant for a nominal price. During 2003, management concluded that future market conditions may not justify the ongoing investment in maintenance and replacement capital necessary to extend operations for the remainder of the facility’s established useful life and a $53.1 million impairment charge was recorded. The facility is currently in production and is expected to be operating at least through April 2004.

Marketing and Distribution

The principal customers for Terra’s North American manufactured nitrogen products are independent dealers, national retail chains, cooperatives and industrial customers. Industrial customers accounted for approximately 24% of Terra’s North American nitrogen product revenues in 2003. At December 31, 2003, we had contracted to sell 14% of our 2004 scheduled nitrogen production at prices indexed to published sources.

Terra’s production facilities, combined with significant storage capacity at over 52 locations throughout the major fertilizer consuming regions of the U.S. and Canada, position Terra to respond competitively to demand in our markets. This is a distinct advantage over imports, which face logistical challenges and higher costs in transporting product to end-users in a timely fashion.

Terra U.K. sales are divided about equally between agricultural and industrial customers. Terra engages merchants and buying groups to sell its Nitram brand bagged AN fertilizer directly to British farmers. AN is also bagged for other U.K. suppliers and sold in bulk to suppliers who blend it with potash and phosphates, bag it and distribute it to farmers. A small quantity of AN is exported to continental Europe.

Terra U.K.’s industrial products include ammonia, nitric acid, and liquid carbon dioxide. Most industrial sales are to customers where Terra has a freight advantage.

Methanol Business Segment

Product

Terra is the leading U.S. producer of merchant methanol. Methanol is used as a feedstock to produce chemical products such as formaldehyde, acetic acid and a variety of chemical intermediates. Another major market for methanol is as a feedstock in the production of MTBE, an oxygenate used as an additive in reformulated gasoline and as an octane enhancer in non-reformulated gasoline.

Manufacturing Facilities

Terra has two U.S. facilities that produce methanol. Our Beaumont, Texas facility is the largest methanol production plant in the U.S., with 225 million gallons of annual methanol production capacity. This plant produced 204 million, 235 million and 235 million gallons of methanol in 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively. The Woodward, Oklahoma facility produced 31.5 million, 33.8 million and 33.8 million gallons of methanol in 2001, 2002 and 2003, respectively, and has an annual methanol production capacity of 40 million gallons.

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Terra owns the plant and processing equipment at the Beaumont facility. The land is leased from E. I. DuPont de Nemours and Company (“DuPont”) for a nominal annual rate under a lease agreement which expires in 2090. Because the Beaumont facility is entirely contained within an industrial complex owned and operated by DuPont, Terra depends on DuPont for access to the facility as well as certain essential services. Most of the finished methanol product is shipped to customers through wharf facilities located on DuPont property. Terra depends on DuPont for access to the pipelines used to transport methanol and to obtain natural gas, as well as for certain utilities, wastewater treatment facilities and other essential services.

Marketing and Distribution

During December 2003, Terra entered into contracts with Methanex providing it exclusive rights to purchase or market all of Terra’s methanol production as discussed more fully in the previous Business Overview section.

Nitrogen Industry Overview

Overview

The three major nutrients required for plant growth are phosphorous, mined as phosphate rock; potassium, mined as potash; and nitrogen, produced from natural gas. Phosphorus plays a key role in the photosynthesis process. Potassium is an important regulator of plants’ physiological functions. Nitrogen is an essential element for most organic compounds in plants as it promotes protein formation and is a major component of chlorophyll, which helps to promote green healthy growth and high yields. There are no substitutes for nitrogen fertilizers in the cultivation of high-yield crops. These three nutrients occur naturally in the soil to a certain extent but must be replaced as crops remove them from the soil. Nitrogen, to a greater extent than phosphate and potash, must be reapplied each year in areas of intense agricultural usage because of absorption by crops and its tendency to escape from the soil by evaporation or leaching. Consequently, demand for nitrogen fertilizer tends to be more consistent on a year-by-year per-acre-planted basis than is demand for phosphate or potash fertilizer.

Demand

Global demand for fertilizers typically grows at predictable rates and tends to correspond to growth in grain production. Global fertilizer demand is driven in the long term primarily by population growth, increases in disposable income and associated improvements in diet. Short-term demand depends on world economic growth rates and factors creating temporary imbalances in supply and demand. These factors include weather patterns, the level of world grain stocks relative to consumption, agricultural commodity prices, energy prices, crop mix, fertilizer application rates, farm income and temporary disruptions in fertilizer trade from government intervention, such as changes in the buying patterns of China or India.

Supply

Increased ammonia prices in 1995 led to capacity expansion projects globally that resulted in capacity growth that was, in the short term, substantially greater than demand, causing a structural imbalance in ammonia supply and demand. In addition, foreign government support for domestic production in India, China and the former Soviet Union, has kept uneconomical plants running, further increasing supply.

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This new global capacity has been partially offset by permanent plant closings in the U.S. and Europe since 1998. Recent increases in natural gas costs in many regions of the world has forced temporary plant closures which, in addition to permanent plant closures, have provided support for nitrogen prices.

Imports account for a significant portion of U.S. nitrogen product supply. Producers from the former Soviet Union, Canada, the Middle East, Trinidad and Venezuela are major exporters to the U.S. These export producers are often competitive in regions of close proximity to the point of entry for imports, primarily the Gulf Coast and East Coast of North America. Due to higher freight costs and limited distribution infrastructure, importers are less competitive in serving the main corn-growing regions of the U.S., which are more distant from these ports.

Methanol Industry Overview

Overview

Methanol is a liquid made primarily from natural gas and is used as a feedstock in the production of formaldehyde, acetic acid, MTBE, and a variety of other chemical intermediates which form the foundation of a large number of secondary derivatives. Formaldehyde is used to produce urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde resins, which are used as wood adhesives for plywood, particleboard, oriented strand board, medium-density fiberboard and other engineered wood products. In addition, formaldehyde is also used in the manufacture of elastomers, paints, foams, polyurethane and automotive products. Acetic acid is used as a chemical intermediate to produce adhesives, paper, paints, plastics, resins, solvents, and textiles. MTBE, an oxygenate and octane enhancer, is used to reduce hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions from motor vehicles. Chemical intermediates are used to manufacture de-icer and windshield fluid, antifreeze, herbicides, pesticides, and poultry feed products.

Methanol is a typical commodity chemical and the methanol industry is characterized by cycles of oversupply resulting in lower prices and idled capacity, followed by periods of shortage and rapidly rising prices as demand rises and exceeds supply until increased prices justify new plant investments or the re-start of idled capacity. However, the expanding number of different uses for methanol and its derivatives over the last several years has resulted in the methanol industry becoming more complex and subject to increasingly diverse influences on supply and demand.

Demand

Due to an increasing range of end uses for methanol, demand has tended to move with the general level of economic activity in methanol’s major markets. The significant use of methanol for the production of chemicals used in the building products industry means that building and construction cycles are important factors in determining demand for methanol-based chemicals.

MTBE accounts for over 25% of global demand for methanol. MTBE is considered the preferred oxygenate by the refining industry and its production has grown rapidly until 2003. Initiatives in California and other states resulted in regulations that prohibit the addition of MTBE to gasoline beginning in 2003.

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Supply

Over the past several years significant industry restructuring has taken place with most North American methanol capacity shut down. New methanol production facilities have generally been constructed in locations with access to low-cost natural gas, although this advantage is partially offset by higher distribution costs due to distance from major markets. Industry analysts have identified approximately 7.0 million metric tonnes of new methanol capacity (20% of current global demand) that will start up from 2004 through 2006.

Credit

Our credit terms are generally 15-30 days in the U.S. and 30 days in the U.K., but may be extended for longer periods during certain sales seasons consistent with industry practices. Bad debt writeoffs have been less than $1.5 million annually for each of the past three years.

Seasonality and Volatility

The fertilizer business is seasonal, based upon the planting, growing and harvesting cycles. Nitrogen fertilizer inventories must be accumulated to permit uninterrupted customer deliveries, and require significant storage capacity. This seasonality generally results in higher fertilizer prices during peak periods, with prices normally reaching their highest point in the spring, decreasing in the summer, and increasing again in the fall as depleted inventories are restored.

Nitrogen fertilizer prices can also be volatile as a result of a number of other factors. The most important of these factors are:

Governmental policies may directly or indirectly influence the number of acres planted, the level of grain inventories, the mix of crops planted and crop prices.

Price spikes in North American natural gas markets prompted industry-wide curtailment of both nitrogen fertilizer and methanol production in 2003 and 2001. We substantially reduced our North American production rates at the end of February through March 2003 due to high natural gas costs. During 2001, most of our North American production was idled for the month of January due to high natural gas costs. There were no shutdowns in 2002 driven by natural gas costs.

While most U.S. methanol is sold pursuant to long-term contracts based on market index pricing and fixed volumes, the spot market price of methanol can be volatile. The industry has experienced cycles of oversupply, resulting in depressed prices and idled capacity, followed by periods of shortages and rapidly rising prices. Future demand for methanol will depend in part on the emerging regulatory environment with respect to reformulated gasoline.

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Raw Materials

The principal raw material used to produce manufactured nitrogen products and methanol is natural gas. Natural gas costs in 2003 accounted for about 66% of total costs and expenses for our North American nitrogen products business, 44% of total costs and expenses for our U.K. nitrogen products business, and 72% of total costs and expenses associated with our methanol business. We believe there is a sufficient supply of natural gas for the foreseeable future and will, as opportunities present themselves, enter into firm transportation contracts to minimize the risk of interruption or curtailment of natural gas supplies during the peak-demand winter season.

Terra’s natural gas hedging policy is to fix or cap the price of 20% to 80% of our natural gas requirements for a rolling 12-month period, and up to 50% of our natural gas requirements for the subsequent 24-month period, provided that such arrangements would not result in costs greater than expected selling prices for our finished products. Departures from policy are permitted with the approval of the Board of Directors. Capping natural gas prices is accomplished through various supply contracts, financial derivatives and other instruments. A significant portion of the global nitrogen products production occurs at facilities with access to fixed-priced natural gas supplies. These facilities’ natural gas costs have been and likely will continue to be substantially lower than Terra’s.

If natural gas prices rise, we may benefit from our use of forward-pricing techniques. Conversely, if natural gas prices fall, we may incur costs above the then-available spot market price. The settlement dates of forward-pricing contracts coincide with gas purchase dates. Forward-pricing contracts are based on a specified price referenced to spot market prices or appropriate NYMEX futures contract prices.

Transportation

Terra uses several modes of transportation to distribute products to customers, including railroad cars, common carrier trucks, barges and common carrier pipelines. We use approximately 50 liquid, dry and anhydrous ammonia fertilizer terminal storage facilities in 18 U.S. states and one Canadian province.

Railcars are the major mode of transportation at our North American manufacturing facilities. Terra leases approximately 2,100 railcars. Terra also owns 10 nitric acid railcars. In the U.K., Terra’s AN production is transported primarily by contract carrier trucks, and ammonia production is transported primarily by pipelines that we own.

Terra transports purchased natural gas to our Woodward, Oklahoma facility via both intrastate and interstate pipelines and to Terra’s Verdigris, Oklahoma facility via intrastate pipeline. The intrastate pipelines serving Woodward and Verdigris are not open-access carriers, but are nonetheless part of a widespread regional system through which Woodward and Verdigris can receive natural gas from any major Oklahoma source. Terra also has limited access to out-of-state natural gas supplies for these facilities. Terra’s Beaumont, Texas facility sources natural gas via four intrastate pipelines. The Courtright, Ontario facility sources natural gas at delivery points at Parkway and Dawn, Ontario and a local utility. We transport purchased natural gas for both our Port Neal, Iowa and Blytheville, Arkansas facilities via interstate, open-access pipelines. At the Billingham and Severnside, England locations, purchased natural gas is transported to the facilities via a nationwide, open-access pipeline system.

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Research and Development

We are currently not undertaking any significant, ongoing research and development efforts.

Competition

The industries in which Terra operates are highly competitive. Competition in agricultural input markets takes place largely on the basis of price, reliability of supply, delivery time and quality of service. Feedstock availability to production facilities and the cost and efficiency of production, transportation and storage facilities are also important competitive factors. Government intervention in international trade can distort the competitive environment. The relative cost and availability of natural gas are also important competitive factors. Significant determinants of a plant’s competitive position are the natural gas acquisition and transportation contracts that a plant negotiates with its major suppliers as well as proximity to natural gas sources and/or end-users.

Terra’s domestic competitors in the nitrogen fertilizer markets include a large farm cooperative and other independent fertilizer companies. In addition, nitrogen fertilizers imported into the United States compete with domestically produced nitrogen fertilizers, including those produced by Terra. Countries with inexpensive sources of natural gas (whether as a result of government regulation or otherwise) can produce nitrogen fertilizers at a low cost. A substantial amount of new ammonia capacity is expected to be added abroad in the foreseeable future. Importers face higher transportation costs, which reduce their advantage of inexpensive natural gas.

In the methanol segment, production and trade have become increasingly globalized and a number of foreign competitors produce methanol primarily for the export market. Many of these foreign competitors have access to favorably priced sources of natural gas and are relatively insensitive to raw material price fluctuations. However, because of low domestic demand, foreign competitors aggressively pursue the U.S. and other export markets. Industry analysts have identified approximately 7.0 million metric tonnes of new foreign methanol capacity (20% of current global demand) that will start up from 2004 through 2006.

Nitrogen sales are made through independent retailers, resellers, farmer co-operatives affiliated dealer organizations and brokers. Methanol sales are conducted through Methanex as described in the preceding Business Overview section.

Environmental and Other Regulatory Matters

Terra’s operations are subject to various federal, state and local environmental, health and safety laws and regulations, including laws relating to air quality, hazardous and solid wastes and water quality. Terra’s operations in Canada are subject to various federal and provincial regulations regarding such matters, including the Canadian Environmental Protection Act administered by Environment Canada, and the Ontario Environmental Protection Act administered by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment. Terra’s U.K. operations are subject to similar regulations under a variety of acts governing hazardous chemicals,

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transportation and worker health and safety. We are also involved in the manufacture, handling, transportation, storage and disposal of materials that are or may be classified as hazardous or toxic by federal, state, provincial or other regulatory agencies. We take precautions to reduce the likelihood of accidents involving these materials. If such materials have been or are disposed of at sites that are targeted for investigation and/or remediation by federal or state regulatory agencies, Terra may be responsible under CERCLA or analogous laws for all or part of the costs of such investigation and remediation, and damages to natural resources.

The State of Arizona designated Inspiration Consolidated Copper Company (“Inspiration”), a Terra subsidiary that disposed of its assets in 1988 and no longer operates a business, as a potentially responsible party (“PRP”) under the state Superfund law at the Pinal Creek Drainage Basin Site (“Pinal Site”) in Globe/Miami, Arizona, based upon Inspiration’s prior ownership and operation of copper mining and production facilities. Under state and federal Superfund laws, all PRPs may be jointly and severally liable for the costs of investigation and/or remediation of an environmentally impaired site regardless of fault or the legality of original disposals. The Pinal Site is the subject of ongoing investigation and cleanup to address releases of acidic metal-bearing solutions from past copper mining and production facilities. The remedial actions are governed by a 1997 consent decree between the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and the two current owners/operators of the copper mining and production facilities (one of whom is the successor to Inspiration’s buyer) and Inspiration (collectively with us, the “Group”). The Group’s members are jointly and severally financing and performing the work, but Inspiration no longer owns assets at the Pinal Site. Also, the Group has filed an action for cost-recovery against other former owners and operators at the Pinal Site. In a related matter, residents in an area of the Pinal Site brought a class action against the Group seeking property damages and medical monitoring for potential personal injuries allegedly related to the acidic metal-bearing groundwater. All claims have been settled, although plaintiffs reserved the right to assert personal injury claims individually. After consideration of such factors as the number of PRPs and levels of financial responsibility, including the ongoing litigation, claims against historic insurance carriers, and contractual indemnities, we believe that our liability with respect to these matters will not be material. Existing contractual indemnities may be subject to legal challenge, however, and there can be no guarantee that they will be upheld or sufficient to cover all costs, or that material expenditures will not be incurred for these matters.

Terra retained a small number (less than 10%) of its retail locations after the sale of its distribution business in 1999. Some of these locations are now, or are expected in the future to be, the subject of environmental clean-up activities for which we have retained liability. We do not believe that such environmental costs and liabilities will have a material effect on our results of operations, financial position or net cash flows.

With respect to our Verdigris and Blytheville facilities, Freeport-McMoRan Resource Partners, Limited Partnership (a former owner and operator of these facilities) retained liability for certain environmental matters. With respect to our Beaumont facility, DuPont retains responsibility for certain environmental costs and liabilities stemming from conditions or operations to the extent such conditions or operations existed or occurred prior to its sale of the facility in 1991. Likewise, with respect to our Billingham and Severnside, England facilities, the seller, ICI, indemnified us, subject to certain conditions, for pre-December 31, 1997 environmental contamination associated with the purchased assets. Known conditions are not expected to result in material expenditures but discovery of unknown conditions or the failure of prior owners and operators and indemnitors to meet their obligations could require significant expenditures.

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Terra may be required to install additional air and water quality control equipment, such as low NOx burners, scrubbers, ammonia sensors and continuous emission monitors, at certain facilities in order to maintain compliance with applicable environmental requirements. We estimate that the cost of additional equipment to comply with these requirements in 2004 and the next two years will be less than $10 million.

Terra endeavors to comply in all material respects with applicable environmental, health and safety regulations and has incurred substantial costs in connection with such compliance. Because these regulations are expected to continue to change and generally to be more restrictive than current requirements, the costs of compliance will likely increase. We do not expect our compliance with such regulations to have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or net cash flows. However, there can be no guarantee that new regulations will not result in material costs.

Revenues and Assets

Terra’s revenues from external customers, measure of profit and loss, total assets and revenues and assets according to geography for the years 2001-2003 appear in Item 8.

Employees

We had 1,138 full-time employees at December 31, 2003, with all 407 U.K. employees covered by a wage and working conditions arrangement similar to a collective bargaining agreement.

ITEM 3. LEGAL MATTERS

Terra Nitrogen (U.K.) Limited was found liable for damages, plus interest and attorney fees, associated with May 1998 recalls of carbonated beverages containing carbon dioxide tainted with benzene. Appeals against those judgments were unsuccessful. Management estimated total claims against Terra from these lawsuits may be £10 million, or $14 million in 2001 when Terra established reserves to cover estimated losses. Terra’s insurer denied coverage under Terra’s insurance policy and Terra was required to pay the beverage manufacturers’ claims with its own funds.

Terra filed suit against its insurer in U.S. District Court in Sioux City, Iowa seeking a declaration of insurance coverage and reimbursement of the claim payments. In August 2002, the court granted summary judgment in Terra’s favor and ordered the insurer to pay the claims. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit affirmed the district court’s decision in October 2003 and later denied a motion by the insurer for a rehearing. Terra’s insurer is seeking an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Management will continue to pursue Terra’s rights against the insurer and will not modify the product claim cost reserve from the insurer’s reimbursement of the claims until final resolution of the matter.

On January 29, 2003, an Arizona jury awarded $10.1 million in damages and subsequently, $1.1 million in attorney fees to a former Terra employee whose distribution and crop consulting business Terra acquired in 1997. The plaintiff alleged bad faith and fraud against Terra in connection with the sale of his business to Terra. On June 6, 2003, Terra filed an appeal of the judgment with the Arizona Court of Appeals. Both parties have filed opening briefs. Oral argument on the appeal has not yet been scheduled.

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We are involved in various other legal actions and claims, including environmental matters, arising from the normal course of business. While it is not possible to predict with certainty the final outcome of these proceedings, we do not believe that these matters, the U.K. benzene claims, or the Arizona business purchase litigation will have a material adverse effect on our results of operations, financial position or net cash flows.

ITEM 4. SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS

No matters were submitted to a vote of security holders of Terra during the fourth quarter of 2003.

Executive Officers of Terra

The following paragraphs set forth the name, age and offices of each present executive officer of Terra, the period during which each executive officer has served as such and each executive officer’s business experience during the past five years:

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There are no family relationships among the executive officers and directors of Terra or arrangements or understandings between any executive officer and any other person pursuant to which any executive officer was selected as such. Officers of Terra are elected annually to serve until their respective successors are elected and qualified.

PART II

ITEM 5. MARKET FOR TERRA’S COMMON EQUITY AND RELATED STOCKHOLDER MATTERS

The main markets in which Terra’s common shares trade are the NYSE and the TSE. Set forth below are the high and low sales prices of Terra’s common shares during each quarter specified as reported on the NYSE.