Minnesota Wheat Council seeks nominations

The Minnesota Wheat Research and Promotion Council (MWC) is seeking nominations for three board positions that are up for election in 2011. Board members of the MWC are responsible for administrating funds collected from the two cent check-off on wheat sold, delivered and stored in Minnesota. The council funds research and promotion designed to increase the profitability of wheat production in Minnesota.

Eligible nominees shall be producers who own or operate a wheat farm and have shared in the profit and losses of wheat production during the current or preceding marketing year.

One producer will be elected in each of the following Council Areas:

Area 1 Counties: Clearwater, Kittson, Marshall, Pennington, Polk, Red Lake, Roseau, Beltrami, Koochiching and Lake of the Woods.

Incumbent – Ken Asp, Thief River Falls

Area 2 Counties: Becker, Clay, Mahnomen, Norman, Douglas, Grant, Ottertail, Traverse, Wilkin, and Todd.

Incumbent – Mark Jossund, Moorhead

Area 3 Counties: All counties south of Traverse, Douglas, Grant and Todd counties

No Incumbent – Open Position

Interested producers are encouraged to nominate themselves by filling out a biography form by December 1, 2010. Bio forms can be requested by calling the MWC at 1-800-242-6118 Ext 13, emailing the Minnesota Department of Agriculture at ruth.white@state.mn.us or by visiting smallgrains.org/bioform.

Elections will be held at the Small Grains Update meetings scheduled for the week of January 17, 2011. The meetings and elections will be at the following locations and dates:

January 17th

a.m. Dawson, VFW

p.m. Morris, West Central Research and Outreach Center

January 18th

a.m. Breckenridge, Northern Grill

p.m. Moorhead, American Legion

January 19th

a.m. Crookston, American Legion

p.m. Ada, VFW

January 20th

a.m. Hallock, City Hall

p.m. Argyle, American Legion

evening Roseau, Gene’s Bar and Grill

January 21st

a.m. St. Hilaire, Northwest Grain

p.m. McIntosh, Community Center

Wheat producers who are unable to attend one of these meeting are encouraged to vote with an absentee ballot. Absentee mail voting by qualified voters is permitted. To receive an absentee ballot, a qualified voter must submit a ballot request form to the Commissioner. To request a ballot, fill out a request form at www.mda.state.mn.us/forms/electionballots.aspx or call the MDA at 651-201-6494 or the MWC at 800-242-6118 Ext 13. The deadline to return a ballot request card is December 10th, 2010. The MDA will mail out absentee ballots on December 14th and they must be returned with a postmark on or before December 28th, 2010.

Tags: crops, minnesota, wheat, farm, agriculture