The board of directors of the Agricultural Utilization Research Institute welcomed two new members and two returning members at its regularly scheduled January meeting. The new and returning members, as following, are:
- New: Minnesota State Representative Debra Kiel, representing the Minnesota State House Agriculture Finance Committee. Rep. Kiel and her husband, Lonn, own and operate a wheat, soybean and sugarbeet farm in Hammond Township.
- New: Jerry Hasnedl, representing a statewide farm organization. Hasnedl, a member of the Minnesota Farmers Union, grew his family farm in St. Hilaire, Minnesota, from 600 acres to 3,200 acres from 1980 through today. He was on the CHS (formerly Harvest States) Board of Directors from 1995-2014, serving as secretary treasurer and chairman of the board for part of that time.
- Returning: Art Brandli, representing a Minnesota research and promotion council. Brandli, a member of the Minnesota Wheat Research & Promotion Council, farmed in northern Minnesota beginning in 1973 and is now managing a transition from production agriculture to forest and wildlife production for the new owner.
- Returning: John Gilbertson, representing a statewide farm organization. Gilbertson, a member of the Minnesota Farm Bureau, operates a cow-calf and backgrounding angus herd operation with his son and grandchildren near Puposky, Minnesota.
The Institute’s Board of Directors consists of nine members, meeting the following requirements found in statute:
- Chairman of the Minnesota House of Representatives Ag Committee or designee.
- Chairman of the Minnesota Senate Ag Committee or designee.
- Two representatives of statewide farm organizations.
- Three representatives of Minnesota research and promotion councils.
- Two representatives of Minnesota agribusiness.