Greg Kessel, a producer from Belfield, North Dakota, was elected the new chair of the Northern Crops Council at its reorganizational meeting June 15. The Northern Crops Council governs the Northern Crops Institute in conjunction with NDSU.

Kessel serves in the North Dakota Barley Council’s permanent seat of the group. He began his first council term in 2013.

Tregg Cronin, a producer from Gettysburg, South Dakota, was elected vice chair of the NCC. He serves as a representative for the South Dakota Wheat Commission. Cronin started his first term with the Northern Crops Council this year.

Mark Martinson, a producer from Rolette, North Dakota, representing the U.S. Durum Growers Association, also is a newly-elected member.

New appointed members include Ben Vig, a producer from Sharon, North Dakota, who serves in the North Dakota Oilseed Council’s permanent seat, and Derik Pulvermacher, a producer from Crosby, North Dakota, who serves in the North Dakota Soybean Council’s permanent seat.

Outgoing council members include John Bartsch, Kelley Bean Co., who served as an industry representative from Maple Grove, Minnesota; Chet Edinger, producer from Mitchell, South Dakota, who represented the South Dakota Wheat Commission; and Perry Ostmo, producer from Sharon, North Dakota, who represented the North Dakota Soybean Council.

Also during the meeting, institute director Mark Weber announced his plans to retire on Dec. 31. A search committee will be appointed by Kessel and interviews conducted during the fall.

Northern Crops Institute supports regional agriculture and value-added processing by conducting educational and technical programs to expand domestic and international markets for northern-grown crops. The institute is funded by the states of Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota and commodity groups in those states and Montana.

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