8-10 IAN Barley Elections

Two members re-appointed to the Idaho Barley Commission. The Idaho Barley Commission announced that Idaho Governor Butch Otter has re-appointed Teton barley grower Dwight Little to serve a second three year term as District III barley commissioner. Ron Elkin, barley producer from Buhl and chairman of the commission, also announced that the grower commissioners has re-appointed Clay Kaasa to continue serving as the board’s industry representative and fourth voting member of the board. Here is executive director of the Idaho grain commission Travis Jones with a description of Mr. Little and Mr. Kaasa: “ Dwight is a barley grower primarily from the Teton area, specifically New Dale, he is a fourth-generation farmer and rancher who grows barley, wheat and alfalfa and raises cattle in Fremont, Madison and Teton counties. Dwight holds a degree in political science and minor in farm and ranch management from BYU in Provo, UT. Clay Kaasa has worked for Great Western Malting Co. for 18 years and has spent more than 21 years working in the state’s grain industry. He holds a degree in agribusiness from Montana State University in Bozeman, MT.

There are 4 Idaho Barley commissioners and their main job is to ensure that growers are used and reinvested into the challenges that growers need solved. We are talking research, marketing, and education.