More Resources

• The American Society of Agronomy - California Chapter
• Association of American Feed Control Officials
• Association of American Plant Food Control Officials
• CA Dept. of Health Services
• CA Dept. of Pesticide Regulation
• California Certified Crop Advisor Program
• California Fertilizer Association
• California Grain and Feed Association
• National Grain and Feed Association
• National Egg Regulatory Officials
• U. S. Department of Agriculture
• U. S. Food and Drug Administration
• Western Plant Health Association

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Fertilizer Research and Education Program

The Fertilizer Research and Education Program (FREP) funds and coordinates research to advance the environmentally safe and agronomically sound use and handling of fertilizer materials. FREP serves growers, agricultural supply and service professionals, extension personnel, public agencies, consultants, and other interested parties.

FREP is guided by the Technical Advisory Subcommittee (TASC) of the Fertilizer Inspection Advisory Board (FIAB). This subcommittee includes growers, fertilizer industry professionals, and state government and university scientists. The TASC directs FREP activities, and reviews, selects and (after peer review) recommends to the FIAB funding for FREP research and education projects.

FREP Authority and Funding

FREP was established in 1990 when California Food and Agricultural Code Section 14611(b) authorized a mill assessment on the sale of fertilizing materials “to provide funding for research and education regarding the use and handling of commercial and organic fertilizers, including, but not limited to, any environmental effects.” The mill assessment currently generates close to $1 million per year for fertilizer research.

In January of 1990, the Nitrate Management Program (NMP) was established by the Director of the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA). Its objectives were to identify and prioritize nitrate sensitive areas throughout California, and to develop research and demonstration projects to reduce agriculture's contribution to groundwater contamination from fertilizer use. Most of FREP's original work was concerned specifically with nitrate contamination of groundwater. This work involved, first, identifying and prioritizing the most nitrate-sensitive groundwater areas in California and, second, working with public agencies, growers and industry to develop, demonstrate and promote the most effective ways to reduce nitrate contamination from agriculture.

Since 1990, FREP's focus has expanded to include research on many of California's important cropping and environmentally sensitive cropping systems including almonds, tomatoes, cotton, citrus, winegrapes, horticulture, lettuce and other cool-season vegetables. To date, forty percent of FREP's projects have been related to developing, testing and demonstrating various nutrient tissue and/or soil testing procedures.