State Representative Elaine Harder has been appointed to the AURI board of directors by House Agriculture Policy Committee Chair Tim Finseth. From Jackson, Minn., Harder is in her third term representing District 22B and serves on the Ag Policy and Agriculture and Rural Development Finance committees.

“She understands what is happening in rural Minnesota because she represents an area that is very dependent upon agriculture,” says Edgar Olson, AURI executive director. “She has also shown an interest in what we are doing to further value-added agriculture … We’re pleased to have Elaine on our board.”

Harder joined the AURI board in March, replacing State Representative Doug Peterson of Madison.

Brent Sorenson has left AURI for a joint position with the Red River Trade Council and U of M-Crookston. Former general manager of the AURI Northern Field Office in Crookston, Sorenson is now a senior associate for agribusiness development with the Council and a faculty member with the University.

RRTC is located on University of Minnesota-Crookston campus and serves as a rural development agency for Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska and Manitoba.

Sorenson says he looks forward to a continued working relationship with AURI. “I will enthusiastically forward potential projects to AURI as they develop or as I come across them.”

“Brent brought a lot of passion and skill to AURI, and he will be missed,” Olson says. “It is a classic case of having talented people that are sought after by others — a situation that makes our organization proud.”

Sorenson’s successor has not yet been named.