Grand Farm Wednesday recognized North Dakota Farmers Union for its $100,000 contribution to the development of a 140-acre ag innovation facility near Casselton. Coupled with a previous donation from Farmers Union Enterprises, some $300,000 has been contributed by Farmers Union to the group's capital campaign, making Farmers Union one of its largest contributors.
"We are grateful for this commitment and dedication as we work to help growers grow more food, more efficiently, and more effectively with fewer resources to feed an increasingly hungry world," said Brian Carroll, director of Grand Farm.
Grand Farm is a network of growers, technologists, companies, startups, educators, policymakers, and investors, all working together to solve problems in agriculture through applied technology. The new facility will provide space for partners to collaborate on innovative solutions and accelerate research and technology that will be used on farms of the future.
"Some of the ideas that are being explored through the Grand Farm initiative to enhance production agriculture are beyond the scope of what most of us can imagine," said North Dakota Farmers Union President Mark Watne. "For us, any idea that ultimately makes things better for family farmers and ranchers by enhancing what they do is worthy of research and support."
Carroll said Farmers Union's contribution will be doubled through a $10 million matching grant established in 2022 by the North Dakota Legislature and State Department of Commerce to advance agriculture technology.
Farmers Union Enterprises is comprised of several businesses and owned by Farmers Union organizations in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Wisconsin.
Categories: North Dakota, Business