The task force must be comprised of 14 members, including the commissioner or the commissioner's designee, one farm advocate appointed by the commissioner who is responsible for mediating debt between farmers and lenders, one adult farm business management instructor appointed by the commissioner, and three farmers appointed by the commissioner, at least one of whom is a beginning or nontraditional farmer and at least one of whom has personal experience with the farmer-lender mediation program.
The remaining membership of the task force consists of one member appointed by each of the following entities: Minnesota Farm Bureau; Minnesota Farmers Union; Minnesota Bankers Association; Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota; Farm Credit Services - Minnesota State Federation; Minnesota Credit Union Network; Minnesota-South Dakota Equipment Dealers Association; and University of Minnesota Extension.
2016 members:
Dave Frederickson, Minnesota Department of Agriculture
David Hesse, Farm Advocate
Jim Molenaar, Farm Business Management Instructor
Pakou Hang, Farmer
Jessica Hofschulte, Farmer
Tim Velde, Farmer
Kevin Paap,Minnesota Farm Bureau
Doug Peterson, Minnesota Farmers Union
Mark Miedtke, Minnesota Bankers Association
Scott Wakefield, Independent Community Bankers of Minnesota
Jessica Fyre, Farm Credit Services
Mike Wehlage, Minnesota Credit Union
Mike St. Onge, Minnesota-South Dakota Equipment Dealers Association
Kent Olson, University of Minnesota Extension