Northern Crops Institute board elects officers

Fargo, N.D., USA – Keith Peltier was elected the new chair of the Northern Crops Council (NCC) at the Council’s reorganizational meeting on June 23. The NCC is the governing board of the Northern Crops Institute (NCI), Fargo, N.D. Peltier is beginning his second three-year term on the NCC as an industry representative. His first term on the NCC began in 2012.

Greg Kessel, a producer from Belfield, N.D., was elected Vice Chair. He serves in the North Dakota Barley Council’s permanent seat of the NCC. Kessel began his first board term in 2013.

Two new members on the Northern Crops Council are Randy Hinebauch, a producer from Chinook, Mont., representing the Montana Wheat and Barley Committee, and Drew Parsley, a producer from Warroad, Minn., representing the Minnesota Soybean Research and Promotion Council.

Dwight Mork, a producer from Bellingham, Minn., was re-elected to fill a second three-year term on the NCC. He represents the Minnesota Corn Research and Promotion Council.

The 2015 North Dakota Legislature approved a change to the North Dakota Century Code that assigns a permanent seat on the Northern Crops Council to a representative of the North Dakota Mill. Vance Taylor, President and General Manager of the North Dakota Mill, or his designee, will serve in this capacity beginning August 1.

Karolyn Zurn is leaving the Council after serving two three-year terms and as Chair during her last two years. A producer from Callaway, Minn. , she represented the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association.

The eighteen-member Northern Crops Council is composed of seven seats that are permanently occupied by the NDSU President, N.D. Commissioner of Agriculture, President of the North Dakota Mill, and representatives of the N.D. Wheat Commission, N.D. Oilseed Council, N.D. Barley Council, and N.D. Soybean Council. The additional eleven seats are filled by producers and food processors from Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota, who gain seats on the Council through election by the permanent members.