Board Biographies

Jeff Krohn

Chairman

Farm: NTCC, Inc.

Address: 3232 Hartsell Rd., Owendale, MI 48754

Phone: 989-551-5434 (business)

Location: Owendale (District 7)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans, Dry Beans, Sugar Beets, Alfalfa

Appointed to MWP: 2020, 2023

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Jeff Krohn is the owner of Northern Thumb Crop Consulting (NTCC) as well as Oliver Grain Company.  Krohn works with his two sons and wife to manage the family farm, which produces wheat, corn, soybeans, dry beans, sugar beets and alfalfa in Owendale.

Krohn is a fifth-generation farmer, with a personal farming philosophy of feeding the world while making the soil better each year.  As such, his particular ag interests are soil health and the need to be sustainable on the land.

A charter member of the Great Lakes Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), Krohn was 2022 1st place YEN winner.  He also won the 2021 National Wheat Yield Contest, and the 2019 Nature Conservancy Impact on Soil Winner for Michigan.

Looking to the future, Krohn expects to see wheat yields improving, especially via genetics and the best applied practices.  “Winter wheat is in the soil longer than any other rotational crop we grow,” he said. “Therefore, wheat will be at the forefront of the new focus on ‘climate smart’ farming and sustainability.”

Krohn worked in ag retail for 11 years before beginning his NTCC consulting business in 2000, where he is most fulfilled by helping many farmers improve their own farm yields and soil health. Locally, he is a past Huron County Planning Commission member, a current Brookfield Township supervisor and has chaired multiple church committees.

Brent Wagner

Vice Chairman

Farm: Wagner Farms, LLC

Address: 5537 County Road 633, Grawn, MI 49637

Phone: (231) 642-0965

Location: Grawn (District 8)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans

Appointed to MWP: 2016, 2019, 2022

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Brent Wagner joined the Michigan Wheat Program board at its August 2016 meeting. He raises beef cattle and cash crops at Wagner Farms, LLC, a family partnership. Wagner Farms is also a designated Centennial Farm in northern Michigan.

Wagner has served as chair of the Farm Service Agency, and currently serves on the board of the Traverse City Michigan Farm Bureau. He attended Northwestern Michigan College.

Lyn Uphaus​

Secretary

Farm: NTCC, Inc.

Address: 14324 Pleasant Lake Rd., Manchester, MI 48158

Phone: 734-341-6385

Location: Manchester (District 4)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans, Dry Beans, Sugar Beets, Alfalfa

Appointed to MWP: 2021

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Lyn Uphaus is a wheat farmer in Manchester, representing District 4 in the Michigan Wheat Program. While it
is his first term on the Michigan Wheat Program Board, Uphaus has considerable prior experience in agricultural leadership.  He has served on the board and chaired the Corn Marketing Program of Michigan
for nine years, and served 13 years on the board at Greenstone Farm Credit including five years as its chairman.

Locally, Uphaus has served on his school board. At Uphaus Farms, he grows corn, wheat and soybeans, as well as feeding beef.

Uphaus became involved in commodity organizations because of his interest in production and marketing. He wants to make a difference for growers by providing leadership in the Mi Wheat organization, helping advance the goal of improved grower profitability.

Anthony Bohac

Treasurer

Farm: Bohac Farms

Address: 3107 W. Juddville Rd., Owosso, MI  48867

Phone: 989-413-8486

Location: Owosso (District 6)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans

Appointed to MWP: 2019, 2022

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Bohac Farms is located in Shiawassee County, where Tony grows wheat, corn and soybeans.  He is a second-generation farmer, taking over responsibility from his father who is in his 90s and still actively working the farm.

Bohac was appointed to the Wheat Program Board in 2019 and reappointed in 2022.  Bohac was elected treasurer of the Board in July 2020.

Locally, he is a retired teacher, football and baseball coach for Corunna High School.  He also served as the district’s athletic director. Bohac holds a BA from Alma College, as well as a Master’s degree from Central Michigan University.  He enjoys many outdoor activities, making farming a good fit. 

“I am proud to serve the wheat growers of Michigan on the Michigan Wheat Board!” he said.

Dwight Bartle

Member

Address: 1331 Briggs Rd., Brown City, MI 48416

Phone: (810) 404-5745

Location: Brown City (District 5)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans, Sugar Beets

Appointed to MWP: 2023

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Appointed to the Michigan Wheat Board in 2023, Dwight Bartle and his wife, Nancy, are not newcomers to the wheat industry. They have participated in and been winners at varying levels in recent wheat yield contests.

Dwight is most interested in soil health and the ability to attain consistent high yields. He wanted to join the MI Wheat Board to work with others to achieve a balance of production and profitability.  And he believes the future of Michigan wheat is to “continue our path of research to ensure wheat is a sustainable crop in Michigan.”

Bartle’s other community service includes serving on the board of his milk cooperative (retired from dairy farming), hosting a dozen exchange students through Youth for Understanding USA and supporting the Eastern Michigan Food Bank with the Safari Club International of Flint.

Jim Doyle

Member

Farm: King Milling

Address: 222 W. Main St., Lowell, MI 49331

Phone: 616-897-9264 (business)

Location: Lowell (District 9)

Crops Grown: Representing millers on the Board

Appointed to MWP: 2021

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Jim Doyle is president at King Milling in Lowell and represents Michigan’s milling community on the MI Wheat Program Board. He holds a BS in business from Michigan State University.

Doyle has twice served as president of the Michigan Millers Association, has served as president of the International Association of Operative Millers, and chairman of the Michigan Agri-Business Association Board.

Locally, he is active in the Lowell Lions Club, Chamber of Commerce and currently serves as president of the Lowell Area Historical Museum.

Doyle wanted to join the MWP Board because it “has been a tremendous success for growers, end users and all those involved with the Michigan wheat industry. The MWP board and management have done an outstanding job. I look forward to using my experience and perspective to further this growth and success.”

Jason Dunning

Member

Farm: Dunning Farms, LLC

Address: 6716 W. 32nd St., Fremont, MI 49412

Phone: 231-578-9352

Location: Fremont (District 1)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans, Dairy Cattle

Appointed to MWP: 2018, 2021

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Jason Dunning is an acting partner in Dunning Farms, LLC, a 5th-generation farm with heifers and cash crops including wheat. He holds a BS in agribusiness management from Michigan State University, and has worked in agronomy for the last 24 years. He is currently district sales manager in West Michigan for a seed company.

Since he was young, Dunning has had a passion for farming, feeding the world and taking care of the land. He pursued those interests on the family farm, paying special attention to balancing soil fertility as perhaps the best way to maximize return on investment.

Dunning was attracted to the educational presentations at the Michigan Wheat Program’s Annual Winter Grower Meeting. “Wheat has always been my favorite crop to grow due to the yield potential that we have yet to unlock,” he said.

Brad Kamprath

Member

Farm: Kamprath Farms, LLC

Address: 4868 Geiger Rd., Ida, MI 48140

Phone: 734-755-7053 (business)

Location: Ida (District 3)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans

Appointed to MWP: 2019, 2022

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Brad Kamprath learned his love for agriculture growing up as a fifth-generation farmer on property located in Ida, Michigan.  Kamprath’s heritage has given him an astute awareness of the value of agriculture not only to our immediate community, but also to our nation and our world. One of his goals is to share with the general public the important role agriculture plays in sustaining a high quality life in our society.

After completing Michigan State University’s Ag Tech program with a certificate in livestock management, Kamprath returned to the family farm which he now owns.  In addition to producing cash crops of wheat, corn, soybeans and hay, Kamprath has developed a business of marketing mini-bales of straw to local farm stands—a value added commodity resulting from producing wheat. 

He has enjoyed facilitating several wheat test plots for MSU, as well as corn and soybean test plots sponsored by the seed company for which he is a sales representative.   

Locally, Kamprath has served on the Ida Township Planning Commission, and currently serves on the Agricultural Advisory Council for Monroe County Community College and the Board of Directors for Ida Farmers’ Co-Operative.  When he is not in the field, he can be found attending sporting events or spending time with his family. 

Carl Wagner III

Member

Farm: C3 Seeds

Address: 11025 M-140 Niles, MI

Phone: 269-362-2059

Location: Niles (District 2)

Crops Grown: Wheat, barley, soybeans and rye for seed; corn

Appointed to MWP: 2020, 2023

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Carl Wagner III is the owner operator of C3 Seeds of Niles, growing wheat, barley, soybeans and rye for seed production. In addition, he grows corn.  His farming partners include his wife, parents and brother.

Wagner’s farming philosophy is to focus on his own impact in his family, community and on the land, where he works to provide better outcomes for all producers through collaboration and innovation.  Specifically, he is interested in soil health and resiliency, environmental impacts, economic sustainability and seedsmanship.

He joined the wheat board in 2020 “to learn from my fellow wheat farmers in the district and across the state, and to provide what I can to help sustain and promote Michigan wheat.”

In the future, Wagner believes wheat will play a huge role not only as a food commodity, but also as an integral part of an environmentally and agronomically viable crop rotation.

Carl Wagner holds a BS in Crop and Soil Agronomic Sciences from Michigan State University.  He is a member of Michigan Farm Bureau in Berrien County where he chairs the Young Farmer Program.  Wagner also serves on the board of the Michigan Crop Improvement Association.

David J. Milligan

EX-OFFICIO

Farm: Milligan Farms, LLC

Address: 6179 Bay City Forestville Rd., Cass City, MI 48726

Phone: 989-872-2937 (business)

Location: Cass City (ad hoc board member)

Crops Grown: Wheat, Corn, Soybeans, Dry Beans

Appointed to MWP: 2011, 2014, 2017, and 2019-2020, 2020-2021 President NAWG; 2021-2022 Past President NAWG.  Currently in ex-officio capacity.

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David Milligan farms in Cass City, located in Michigan’s “thumb”. He grows wheat, corn, soybeans and dry beans.

He played an important role on the temporary committee of wheat farmers who drafted guidelines and worked to gain passage of the wheat check-off. Milligan served as chairman of the board since its inception in 2011 until he was term limited off the board in 2020. He currently serves in ex-officio capacity on the board.

He has previously served on the board of Michigan’s Dry Bean commission, was chair of the National Dry Bean Board, has been involved in Farm Bureau’s commodity committees on the state and national levels and the American Farm Bureau Federation’s Wheat Committee.

In 2020 and 2021, Milligan was elected president of the National Association of Wheat Growers (NAWG) after being selected by wheat farmers from across the nation to work his way through the officer chain. He became Michigan’s first-ever NAWG board member in 2015, and has served on most every NAWG committee including Domestic & Trade Policy Committee, Joint International Trade Policy, Environment & Renewable Resources, Joint Biotechnology, Operations & Planning, Budget, Nominating Committee, and Research & Technology, of which he was chair.