20th annual Chamber Agriculture Luncheon next week

Published 9:11 am Thursday, March 13, 2025

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The Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce’s 20th annual Agriculture Luncheon is scheduled for noon Tuesday at the Fairlane Building at the Freeborn County Fairgrounds.

The event will include the announcement of the 46th Freeborn County Farm Family of the Year.

According to a press release, the event is a tribute to those who tirelessly cultivate the lands and nourish area communities.

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To be nominated, the Farm Family must be Minnesota food producers actively involved in agricultural production with one or more agricultural enterprises or have made significant short-term progress and/or innovative contributions with their agricultural endeavors. Winners are selected based on their commitment to enhancing and supporting the fields of agriculture and production and their involvement in their communities and/or related organizations.

This year’s event will also feature guest speaker, Brian Buhr, dean and director of the  College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) and the  Minnesota Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of Minnesota. He is also a professor of applied economics. Buhr served as interim dean and director from  August 2013 until June 2014. Prior to his interim dean appointment, Buhr led the Division of Applied Economics and Agricultural Education at the University of Minnesota.

He held the E. Fred Koller Chair in Agribusiness and Information Systems from 2004 to 2010 and has received the Outstanding Policy Contribution Award from the  American Agricultural Economics Association, the University of Minnesota College of  Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences’ Distinguished Teaching Award, and  the CFANS Distinguished Faculty Award.

Tickets are limited and may be purchased at the Albert Lea-Freeborn County Chamber of Commerce, 132 N. Broadway Ave. in Albert Lea. For more information call the chamber at 507-373-3938.