The Illinois Nutrient Research &  Education Council (NREC) has a new tri-fold brochure that explains the purpose and structure of NREC and highlights the 20 projects underway targeted at improving nutrient utilization, increasing crop production and protecting water quality.  If you would like to include this brochure in any mailings to your farmer customers with your spring fertilizer invoices, call IFCA at 309.827.2774 and let us know how many copies you need and we will send them to you free of charge as part of NREC's outreach mission.  This year, many state funds were swept and if NREC had not replaced the FREC program, nearly $3 million dollars of fertilizer assessment money dedicated to nutrient research would have been vulnerable.  But NREC funds are held outside of state government, so the good work continues and is critically important given the lawsuits and regulatory actions being taken in many neighboring states with regard to nutrient use and water quality concerns.  Please help promote the importance of NREC with your farmer customers--it is our industry's investment in our nutrient future.  Click here to view the brochure, it is also available on the NREC website at www.illinoisnrec.org.  If you have any questions about NREC, please contact Jean Payne at 309.827.2774.