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Members and Alternates: Dan Benson, Gary Prescher, Kevin Kruise, Grant Anderson, Ryan Kelbrandts, Steve Commerford, Mark Bloomquist, Bryce Nelson, Bob Lindeman, Dan Schmitt, Keith Allen, Jeff Kosek*, David Kee, Mark Jossund

Others: Dan Kaiser, Paul McDivitt, Jack Wilcox, Tamara Benjamin, Jeff Coulter, Jeff Vetsch, Mike Schmitt, Carl Rosen, Matt Wiebers, Fabian Fernandez

MDA staff: Margaret Wagner, Russ Derickson

Bruce Montgomery opened the meeting at 9:03am with a quick review of new AFREC project proposal that were received by the due date of Nov. 23 

• 20 projects – 15 continuation projects and 5 new projects with a funding request total of $1.07 million
• Reviewed meeting with Tom Petersen, Commissioner of Agriculture:
  • Petersen says AFREC will have our work cut for us
  • There is plenty of time (2 legislative sessions) to get AFREC reauthorized
  • He suggested AFREC membership groups ask for a legislative hearing in 2023
  • He suggested a AFREC report like MDA’s 2015 report be completed again
  • He liked idea of support letters from commodity groups
  • He suggested showing the water quality perspective for urban legislators along with demonstrated value
  • AFREC can be an urban-rural issue not necessarily a political issue

Project presentations by:  Jeff Coulter, Carl Rosen, Matt Weibers, and Dan Kaiser

Margaret Wagner updated the Council on the latest available dollars for possible allocation at the January grant selection meeting.  The current AFREC balance is $1,229,858.

Project presentations by:  Jeff Vetsch, Fabian Fernandez, Mkie Schmitt

Grant Anderson – led a discussion on AFREC reauthorization

• Grant gave his legislative reauthorization perspective from meeting with Petersen
  • suggested either AFREC or commodity groups request legislative update hearings
  • suggested each AFREC member group have internal discussion on their comfort level regarding reauthorization
  • suggested creating support letter from each member group
• Self-imposed fee shouldn’t be political issue
• Tonnage fee vs percentage of fertilizer sales to fund AFREC (CA only state with % based funding)
• Keep AFREC language the same – easier to pass
• Ask legislature to fund additional research beyond AFREC collected fees with budget surplus
• We need to lean on each member group lobbyist to help with AFREC reauthorization
• Which year legislative session should AFREC move for reauthorization?
• Be careful about what you ask for – things can blow up in your face if it goes awry
• Don’t stir the pot too much
• AFREC tonnage fee has been flat since the start in 2008
• The legislature likes public-private collaborations
• Suggest to legislature to fund parallel research funding to complement existing AFREC research (manure was given as an example – it is related to fertility but is not commercial fertilizer)              

Motion by Steve Commerford , second by Mark Jossund “…. to direct the ROC (Bruce Montgomery) to create an AFREC legislative report similar to one created by the MDA in 2015.”  - Motion passed.

Motion by Keith Allen, second by Ryan Kelbrant “…to grant ex officio AFREC membership to the North Harvest Bean Council”.  Motion passed*.

Meeting adjourned by acclamation by AFREC Chair Grant Anderson at 4:29 pm

Agricultural Statistics

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USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service (NASS) works in partnership with the MDA to provide Minnesota farmers, agribusinesses, government, and the general public with accurate data on major crops and livestock, farm income, farm costs and returns, and other special agricultural information. The NASS Minnesota Field Office measures the current and potential food supply by collection, analysis, and publication of agricultural statistics at both the state and county level. Reports are available on the NASS website.