Around The Industry: January 2013

Davison Elected Minn-Dak Chair; Butenhoff Chosen Vice Chairman
    At their annual reorganizational meeting in early December, the Minn-Dak Farmers Cooperative Board of Directors selected Brent Davison of Tintah, Minn., as the new board chairman.  Davison, a Minn-Dak director since 2004, also currently serves on the board of directors of United Sugars Corporation as well as that of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association.  As chairman, he succeeds Doug Etten of Foxhome, Minn., who retired from board service after serving the 15-year maximum allowed by Minn-Dak by-laws.

    Davison became the cooperative’s chairman 30 years to the month after his father, Earl, was elected to head the Minn-Dak Board of Directors.  Earl Davison served as a Minn-Dak director from 1973 to 1987.
    Dennis Butenhoff of Barnesville, Minn., was elected to succeed Davison as Minn-Dak’s vice chairman.  A board member since 2005, Butenhoff also serves on the board of Midwest Agri-Commodities.
    Board member Dennis Klosterman (Mooreton, N.D.) was elected secretary, and Pat Freese (Kent, Minn.) was elected treasurer.  Current directors Chuck Steiner (Foxhome, Minn.) and Kevin Kutzer (Fairmount, N.D.) were re-elected by their respective districts’ shareholders.
    During the co-op’s annual meeting, Tim Deal of Doran, Minn., was elected by shareholders to a seat on the Minn-Dak Board of Directors.
    Minn-Dak’s 2012 annual meeting was its 40th.   The cooperative recently announced plans for a $70.3 million molasses desugarization add-on facility at its Wahpeton, N.D., factory.

Green Re-elected Crystal Chair; Erickson Now Vice Chairman
     Robert Green, St. Thomas, N.D., was re-elected chairman of the American Crystal Sugar Company Board of Directors during the board’s December 6 reorganizational meeting following the cooperative’s annual meeting.
    Brian Erickson was elected vice chairman at the board meeting.  Erickson, an ACSC director since 2005, farms near East Grand Forks and Ada, Minn.  He also currently serves on the board of directors of Midwest Agri-Commodities.
    Newly elected director Kelly Erickson joined American Crystal’s board at the December meeting.  Erickson, who farms near Hallock, Minn., is currently president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association.  He previously served as president of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association.
    Neil Widner of Stephen, Minn., a director since 2000 and former ACSC board chairman, reached his term limit after four consecutive three-year terms of service.

Michigan/Ontario Research Reporting Session Is Jan. 30
    The 2013 Michigan/Ontario Sugarbeet Research Reporting Session is scheduled for January 30 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Bay City.  This seventh annual reporting session will cover current sugarbeet research being conducted in the Great Lakes region.  The program runs from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Meal reservations are required.
    For more information about the 2013 research reporting session, contact Steve Poindexter, Michigan State University Extension, Saginaw, at (989) 758-2500.

2013 International Sugarbeet Institute March 13-14  in Fargo
    The 51st edition of the International Sugarbeet Institute will be held March 13 and 14, 2013, at the Fargodome in Fargo, N.D.  The ISBI is North America’s largest sugarbeet industry trade show.  The 2012 event in Grand Forks, N.D., showcased about 125 exhibitors and drew more than 2,300 visitors.   
    Featured speakers at the 2013 ISBI will be Luther Markwart, executive vice president of the American Sugarbeet Growers Association, on the 13th; and Howard Dahl, president of Amity Technology, on the 14th.
    Companies desiring exhibiting information for the International Sugarbeet Institute can contact exhibits coordinator Bob Cournia at (218) 281-4681.  Other ISBI-related questions should be directed to Dr. Mohamed Khan, committee chairman, at (701) 231-8596.

37th ASSBT Biennial Meeting Scheduled for Feb. 27-March 2
    The American Society of Sugar Beet Technologists will celebrate the 75th anniversary of its founding during the organization’s 37th biennial meeting, to be held on February 27-March 2, 2013.  The meeting takes place at the Disneyland Resort, Anaheim, Calif.
    The event begins on the 27th with registration, poster setup and the evening President’s Reception.  A general session is held on the morning of the 28th, followed by agricultural and operations technical sessions that afternoon and throughout the next two days.  The 2013 ASSBT meeting concludes with the traditional awards banquet on the evening of March 2.
    Complete meeting information can be found on the ASSBT’s website — www.bsdf-assbt.org.