About Us
Meet Our Commissioners
Board of Commissioners - District 1
Don Hardy
Don Hardy, is currently serving his first term on the Wheat Commission representing wheat growers in the southwest portion of the state. Hardy has been the Golden Valley county representative to the Commission since 2020. Hardy is the Commission representative to the North Dakota Grain Growers Association. He is also the Vice President of the Beach Coop Grain Co. and past director on the North Dakota Grain Growers Association. Hardy grows spring wheat, durum, canola, corn, peas and lentils on his farm near Beach, ND.
Board of Commissioners - District 2
Nate Brandt
Nate Brandt is serving his first four-year term on the North Dakota Wheat Commission, representing wheat growers in the northwest portion of the state. Nate graduated from Stanley High School. He is on the Mountrail County Farm Bureau board and a committee member of NDFB Young Farmers & Ranchers, Mountrail County Ag Improvement board and serves on the Stanley ambulance board. This is his first year as the Mountrail county wheat representative. Brandt and his wife, Cassie, produce spring wheat, canola, soybeans, peas, lentils and flax. The couple has one child.
Board of Commissioners - District 3
Jim Pellman
Jim Pellman is serving his second, four-year term on the North Dakota Wheat Commission, representing wheat growers in the south central portion of the state. He has served as the county representative for Sheridan County since 2014. Jim is liaison to US Wheat Associates board, where he currently serves as Chairman and is a voting member of the SBARE Wheat Granting Committee. He and his wife, Candace, have two children and grow wheat, barley, canola, corn, and soybeans on their farm near McClusky. He has a degree in Ag Economics from NDSU.
Board of Commissioners - District 4
Glendon Slaubaugh
Glendon Slaubaugh, is serving his first term on the North Dakota Wheat Commission, representing wheat growers in the north central district of the state. He was elected Pierce County representative in 2024. He is the Commission representative to the U.S. Durum Growers Association and handles the Commission transportation portifolio. Glendon started farming in 2018 and is a fourth-generation farmer. Slaubaugh also runs a trucking company and ag spraying business. He has six siblings and his parents and some of his siblings remain an active part of the farming operation. The farm near Wolford grows durum, spring wheat, canola, soybeans, corn and barley.
Board of Commissioners - District 5
Scott Huso
Scott Huso, elected in 2021, is currently serving his second term on the Wheat Commission representing wheat growers in the southeastern part of North Dakota. He has served as the Steele County representative since 2009. Scott represents the Commission as Vice-Chair on the Northern Crops Council and on the Wheat Marketing Center board. Scott was recently elected to the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education (SBARE) board. Scott graduated from Dakota Prairie High School and then obtained his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Agricultural Economics from North Dakota State University. His master’s thesis dealt with the potential economic impacts of genetically modified varieties of spring wheat. He worked for an agricultural advertising agency for three years before he began farming near Aneta, ND. Scott and his wife Elizabeth have one son, Herlof, and raise spring wheat, malt barley, canola, pinto beans, soybeans and corn.
Board of Commissioners - District 6
Aaron Kjelland
Aaron Kjelland is serving his second, four-year term on the North Dakota Wheat Commission, representing wheat growers in the northeastern portion of the state. He was elected as Walsh County's representative in 2006. Kjelland currently serves as Vice Chairman of the Commission, serves on the U.S. Wheat Associates board and is the commission's liaison to the Wheat Foods Council, and the SBARE Wheat Granting Committee. He is a graduate of Concordia College with a degree in Political Science. He and his wife Rebecca have four children and produce wheat, canola, corn, pinto beans, and soybeans.
Board of Commissioners - Commissioner-At-Large
Mark Birdsall
Mark Birdsall of Berthold was re-appointed in 2023 by North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum to represent the state's producers as commissioner-at-large. He currently serves as Chairman of the Commission and serves on the U.S. Wheat Associates Board. Birdsall also represents the Commission on the National Pasta Association, ND Crop Improvement Association and U.S. Wheat & Barley Scab Initiative. Birdsall and his family farm in Ward and Mountrail counties. The operation raises spring wheat, durum, barley, canola, peas, flax, lentils and soybeans. Mark is also a partner in Birdsall Grain and Seed LLC which is dedicated to the production of registered and certified seed. He has served as chairman of the State Board of Agricultural Research and Education (SBARE), and a board member of NDSU Research Foundation. He has also served in leadership roles in the U.S. Durum Growers Association, Dakota Growers Pasta Company research board, Ward County Ag Improvement Association and ND Crop Improvement Association.
