May 6th Luncheon registration may now be completed online. Please register online by Friday, May 2nd.

Advance luncheon registration cost is $21 for non-members and $16 for members. Students may attend free of charge. Same-day luncheon registration cost is $25.

The May 6th Luncheon will be sponsored by Legend Technical Services, Inc.

Presentation Title

Overview of the Minnesota Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan (draft) by Annie Felix-Gerth and Kimberly Kaiser

Presentation Abstract

The Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan (NFMP) is Minnesota’s prevention and response strategy for dealing with nitrates in groundwater resulting from agricultural inputs. Originally developed in 1990, the NFMP has recently gone through an extensive two-year review process with the assistance of a diverse committee representing agricultural commodities, environmental organizations, the University of Minnesota, and multiple state agencies. The revised NFMP has significant improvements for addressing nitrate contamination of both public water suppliers and private wells in agricultural regions.

This presentation will highlight the plan’s elements with emphasis on the strategy for identifying and aggressively conducting nitrate assessments in targeted areas on a township scale. Currently 230-280 townships, based on groundwater sensitivity and agricultural intensity, have been identified for future assessment.

Also highlighted will be the four distinct levels to categorize conditions based on nitrate severity in tandem with the adoption rate and effectiveness of voluntary nitrogen fertilizer Best Management Practices.

Speaker Biographies

Annie Felix-Gerth has worked as the Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Plan Coordinator in the Fertilizer Non-Point Section of the Pesticide and Fertilizer Division at the Minnesota Department of Agriculture since 2011. She is responsible for completing a revision of the Plan and once it is finalized, she will coordinate its implementation.

Before joining MDA, Annie was a core member of the Water Quality Team at Emmons and Olivier Resource Inc., supporting TMDL projects throughout the state. Annie’s other previous employers include the Benton Soil and Water Conservation District, the City of Lakeville, and Prairie Restorations Inc. Annie received her B.S. in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior from the University of Minnesota.

Kimberly Kaiser has been with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture as a Hydrologist since July of 2010. She received her B.S. in Environmental Geology with an emphasis in hydrogeology from the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire and her M.S. in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho.   Although a native of western Wisconsin, she spent over 10 years working on water quality issues in Southeast Idaho. Kim and her family thoroughly enjoyed living and playing in the Northern Rockies, but are happy to be back in the mid-west, near their families and more water