FARGO, N.D. — A man who has served as director of the Red River Valley Sugarbeet Growers Association and the North Dakota Soybean Council and Growers Association is the new director of the Northern Crops Institute in Fargo.

Mark Weber begins his new duties on Sept. 19. He replaces Brian Sorenson, who left in March to join Dakota Specialty Milling in Fargo.

The institute works to develop domestic and international markets for crops grown in the Northern Plains. It is funded by the states of North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota, as well as by commodity groups in those states and in Montana.

Weber holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanized agriculture and agronomy and a master’s degree in agriculture economics from North Dakota State University.