Spotlight on the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council
If you’re familiar with Minnesota agriculture, you probably know about the state’s fertilizer tonnage fee and the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council, or AFREC. Read on to learn why AFREC is important for Minnesota’s farmers, economy, and environment.
AFREC, which began in 2008, is tasked with improving fertilizer efficiency and farm profitability through soil fertility research, technology development, and education. By improving nutrient use efficiency, AFREC is also helping to improve environmental outcomes for agriculture.
The council is made up of Minnesota farmers and crop advisors from each of the major agricultural groups in the state, including Minnesota Corn. Waltham farmer Rodney Moe, a member of the Minnesota Corn Research & Promotion Council, represents Minnesota Corn on AFREC.
AFREC picks which research projects to fund, with University of Minnesota scientists leading most of its studies. That’s because land-grant researchers have the expertise, staff, and equipment to conduct rigorous experiments, so farmers know they’re making crucial soil fertility decisions based on the best information possible. However, not all AFREC funding goes to the University of Minnesota. Farmers, crop advisors, and others can also apply for grants.
In addition to funding research, AFREC also supports educational programming so that Minnesotans can learn about how to apply researchers’ findings and recommendations to their farms. These efforts include:
Minnesota’s annual Nitrogen Conference and Nutrient Management Conference
- The AFREC website
- Minnesota Crop News blog posts
- Monthly episodes of the Nutrient Management Podcast
- U of M Extension videos
The council’s funding comes from a $0.40 per ton fee on bulk fertilizer sales in Minnesota. Farmers in the state invest around $0.05 per cropland acre per year. This raises a little over $1 million each year. Minnesota isn’t the only state with a fertilizer tonnage fee that funds soil fertility research. In fact, when the state legislature created AFREC in 2008, Minnesota became the 12th state to set up such a program.
Soil fertility research is valuable not just for farmers but for all Minnesotans — it affects our food supply, our economy, and our environment. As the world’s population continues to increase, we need to grow more food in more environmentally friendly ways. AFREC research is key to helping Minnesota agriculture continue to move forward.
Learn more about AFREC at MNsoilFertility.com
