October 23, 2003

 

Thostenson Named to National Board of Directors

A North Dakota State University extension pesticide program specialist has been elected to the Certification and Training Assessment Group (CTAG) Board of Directors. Andrew Thostenson was elected to fill an expiring seat held by Patrick O’Connor-Marer with the University of California at Davis. Thostenson’s term runs through March 2007.

CTAG was established in 1996 to assess the current status and provide future direction for the national pesticide applicator certification and training program. State governments and state land grant universities primarily handle pesticide certification and training.

"The decisions that CTAG comes up with have a direct and tangible impact on at least 16,000 pesticide applicators and dealers in North Dakota," Thostenson says. "My appointment to this group means that North Dakota’s views will be represented to policy makers at the state and federal level."

Thostenson started as the pesticide coordinator with the NDSU Extension Service in 1998. Before that he was a Pembina County extension agent with an emphasis in cropping systems. He also was an agronomist and managing director of the Spectrum Crop Development Corporation in Clarkson, Wash. where he worked with producers on the development of the canola industry.

Thostenson did his undergraduate work at the University of Idaho, graduating in plant science with a major in crop management and a minor in agribusiness management. He holds a master’s degree in plant science with a major in plant pathology, also from the University of Idaho.

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Source: Andrew Thostenson, (701) 231-8050, athosten@ndsu.nodak.edu
Editor: Richard.Mattern, (701) 231-6136, richard.mattern@ndsu.nodak.edu