BISMARCK – The new Pride of Dakota 2011 Member Directory is now available from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA).

“This new directory is the largest ever – a reflection of the continuing growth in the Pride of Dakota program,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “More than 460 companies currently participate in Pride of Dakota.”

Goehring said the directory is “a guide to high quality, North Dakota-made products, including foods and condiments, wearing apparel, paper goods, gift and decorative items, recordings and more.”

BISMARCK – The North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA) will hold listening sessions, Feb. 3-4, to gather public comment and to provide information on the 2011 USDA Specialty Crop Grant Program.

The Feb. 3 session is scheduled for 8-9 a.m., in the south room of the Capitol Cafeteria at the State Capitol; the Feb. 4 session will be held from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. at the NDDA booth in the Crystal Ballroom at the Ramada Suites in Fargo during the annual conference of the Northern Plains Sustainable Agriculture Society.

BISMARCK – A second comprehensive, statewide survey has found only minimal amounts of pesticides in North Dakota rivers.

“The 2010 surface water monitoring program shows North Dakota’s rivers and streams have minimal pesticide contamination – just trace amounts of nine commonly used pro-ducts,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring, who released the survey (day). “These results also show that current regulations, use restrictions and our enforcement strategy are effective in preventing pesticide contamination of surface water.”

BISMARCK – Dakota Grown, a two-day conference on producing, processing and using locally-grown foods and food products, is scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Feb. 18–19, at the Doublewood Inn, 1400 E. Interchange Ave., Bismarck.

“The local foods movement is gaining momentum around the nation and right here in North Dakota – it’s something people really want to know about,” said Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring. “I encourage anyone, producer or consumer, with an interest in local foods to take part in this event.”

The meeting of the Advisory Committee on Sustainable Agriculture has been rescheduled for noon, today, (Friday, Jan. 14), in Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring’s office on the sixth floor of the State Capitol.

The meeting was originally scheduled for 12:30 p.m.

The Advisory Committee on Sustainable Agriculture will meet at 12:30 p.m., Friday, Jan. 14, in Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring’s office on the sixth floor of the State Capitol.

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has proposed the establishment of a state fund to support development of new crop insurance products for North Dakota producers.

“This fund will help insurers research, develop and implement new crop insurance concepts.” Goehring said Tuesday at a news conference in Bismarck. “These new crop insurance products will provide producers with new and improved risk management tools to help them stay in business, thereby ensuring a continuous supply of safe and abundant food supply.”

BISMARCK – Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring says a new study shows that significant funding is needed to repair and upgrade rural North Dakota roads to meet current and future needs.

“We are growing and moving more crops than ever before and that is having a major impact on our already stressed rural road network,” Goehring said Monday. "Yet funding in real dollars for county and local roads has grown only modestly in recent years, while construction costs have soared.”

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has scheduled a news conference for 11 a.m., Tuesday, Jan. 11, in the upper level mezzanine of the North Dakota Heritage Center.

Commissioner Goehring will discuss proposed legislation to facilitate creation of new crop insurance products.

Members of the State Legislature and officials from agricultural organizations will participate in the news conference.

For information, please contact Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov.

Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring has scheduled a news conference for 2 p.m., Monday, Jan. 10, in the media studio on the ground floor, West Wing of the State Capitol.

Commissioner Goehring will discuss the findings of an Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute (UGPTI) study on transportation needs for North Dakota agriculture.

Officials from UGPTI and representative of North Dakota agricultural groups will participate in the news conference.

For information, please contact Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov.