AFREC extended for five years, adds four new members

In May of 2024, the Agricultural Fertilizer Research and Education Council (AFREC) was extended for five years by the Minnesota legislature. In addition, the legislature added four new members to the council.

About AFREC

AFREC, which was established by the Minnesota legislature in 2008, is tasked with improving fertilizer efficiency, farm profitability, and Minnesota’s environment through soil fertility research, technology development, and education.

The council is made up of Minnesota farmers and agriculture professionals from around the state. The council’s funding comes from a 40-cent per ton fee on bulk fertilizer sales in Minnesota. Farmers in the state invest around five cents per cropland acre per year. This raises over $1 million each year for soil fertility research and education.

New council members

Starting this year, four new members will be joining the council:

• Craig LaPlante will represent the Minnesota Soil Health Coalition on the council. LaPlante farms near Crookston, Minnesota. He has been using cover crops and no-till farming since 2004. He also works as a sales agronomist for Hawkins Inc.
• Craig See will represent the Minnesota Institute of Sustainable Agriculture (MISA) on AFREC. See has a PhD in ecology and works at the University of Minnesota as a researcher in the Sustainable Cropping Systems Lab.
• Warren Formo will serve as AFREC’s expert in water quality. Formo has been the Executive Director of the Minnesota Agriculture Water Resources Center (MAWRC) since 2008.
• James Checkel will serve as the council’s expert in public health. Checkel worked as a research technologist at the Mayo Clinic for over 40 years.

The Minnesota Crop Production Retailers previously held two seats on the council and now have one seat.

The five-year extension means AFREC will continue to collect the $0.40 per ton fee on all fertilizer sales until a new sunset date of June 30, 2029.