Veteran ag lobbyist Kayla Pulvermacher to lead North Dakota Grain Growers Association

WEST FARGO — A former lobbyist for the North Dakota Farmers Union will be the next executive director of the

North Dakota Grain Growers Association.

The group on Thursday, July 6, announced that

Kayla Pulvermacher

will replace

Dan Wogsland

, who retired after 19 years as executive director.

Pulvermacher said Wogsland will be hard to replace.

“A few folks approached me about looking at the Grain Growers job, and to be completely honest, I said, ‘Well, I feel bad for the poor sucker that has to take that job after Dan.’ And well, here I am now,” she said.

She will take over July 24.

“I grew up in agriculture,” said Pulvermacher, who is originally from Crosby. “I worked for Farmers Union three days after I graduated college, so working in ag and advocating for growers just really feels like coming home to me.”

Pulvermacher is a graduate of

North Dakota State University

and most recently was working as the chief executive officer at the North Dakota Association of Builders. She has 16 years of experience in member advocacy for various groups in North Dakota.

She said one of her immediate priorities will be advocating for farmers on the next farm bill and working against restrictive regulations.

“Making sure that we continue to fight against federal regulations that make it hard for farmers to do what they do best,” Pulvermacher said. “Especially when they (farmers) are the environmental stewards of our land.”

Small grains acreage has been shrinking in North Dakota, but the state remains the nation’s top

wheat

producer.

Pulvermacher said she looks forward to visiting with the wheat and barley growers who are members of the North Dakota Grain Growers.

“I’m really looking forward to sitting down with them and hearing from them what they really would like to see our priorities be for the next year and beyond,” she said.

The association was founded in 1967 and has its headquarters in West Fargo.

Ed Kessel, of Dickinson, is the current president.

Pulvermacher said she also looks forward to working with other ag groups.

“If there’s anything that I’ve seen over the years, (it’s) that agriculture and those that advocate on behalf of their interests are really a tight-knit group,” she said. “And we try to work together as much as possible to find common ground and continue to do positive things for agriculture.”

Reach Agweek reporter Jeff Beach at jbeach@agweek.com or call 701-451-5651.