ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA, US — Mike Carstensen, a Washington farmer, was elected as the US Wheat Associates’ (USW) next secretary-treasurer at the organization’s meeting on Jan. 15 in Washington, DC, US. He will begin his term for the 2025-26 fiscal year at the July board of directors meeting in Boise, Idaho, US.
Also at the July board meeting, current secretary-treasurer Gary Millershaski of Lakin, Kansas, US, will succeed to vice chairman and current vice chairman Jim Pellman of McClusky, North Dakota, US, will become USW chairman. Current chairman Clark Hamilton of Ririe, Idaho, US, will become past chairperson.
USW is the export market development organization for the US wheat industry.
“As a farmer, I believe we have to engage in activities that propel our industry forward,” Carstensen said. “I know the success of our market development efforts is critical to the success and sustainability of my operation. And I’ve seen the great work done by the US Wheat Associates staff. It will be an honor to support these efforts, help guide the organization and represent wheat farmers across the country.”
Carstensen received a bachelor’s degree in business management and accounting from Whitworth University and a master’s degree in business administration with an emphasis in economics from the University of Phoenix. He worked in farm credit before returning to the family farm in 1985 where he, his wife Lorie, and their son Justin currently operate. Carstensen is a commissioner of the Washington Grain Commission and served as its chairman in 2021-22. He also serves on the boards of HighLine Grain Growers, Inc., Tri-Cities Grain, the County Conservation District, and the National Wheat Improvement Committee.
Pellman and his wife, Candace, have two children and grow wheat, barley, canola, corn and soybeans on the farm they started in 1990 near McClusky. After receiving a bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from North Dakota State University, Pellman worked as an ag lender and county supervisor with Farmers Home Administration and then several years as a community banker. Pellman represents Sheridan County on the North Dakota Wheat Commission.
Millershaski, his wife Jana, and their sons Jeremy and Kyler grow hard white and hard red winter wheat, dryland corn and milo, and manage a cow/calf operation on their western Kansas farm. He became a Kansas Wheat Commissioner in 2016 and has served as its chairman. He also served as a director of the Kansas Association of Wheat Growers (KAWG) from 2007 to 2017 after he received a KAWG scholarship while a member of the Class VIII Kansas Agricultural & Rural Leadership (KARL) program.
Hamilton and his wife Kristy own Hamilton Triple C Farms, a diversified farm in eastern Idaho that they operate with their two sons. They grow four specific wheat classes as well as barley, potatoes, pulses and alfalfa. Hamilton served as an executive officer of the Idaho Grain Producers Association (IGPA), including one year as president, and is a longtime board member of Ririe Grain and Feed Cooperative, Inc. He is currently a commissioner on the Idaho Wheat Commission and served as chair of that organization.