The North Dakota Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC) awarded funding requests for nine projects totaling $421,508 at its quarterly meeting May 15th and 16th in Bismarck.
APUC is a program of the North Dakota Department of Commerce that administers grant programs for research and development of new and expanded uses for North Dakota agricultural products. APUC promotes economic diversification through awarding grants that can be used for basic and applied research, marketing and utilization, farm diversification, nature-based agritourism, prototype and technology and technical assistance. In this round of applications, health products, intellectual property commercialization, the energy industry and manufacturing could benefit from the varied nature of APUC’s support to economic diversification and growth.
The following requests will be reviewed:
701 Meats (Belfield) was awarded $97,650 to construct a butchering facility to be certified by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture Meat Inspection Program. The facility will process lamb, beef, bison, hogs, elk, deer and rabbits. Contact Roy Krivoruchka at 701-290-6874.
Cloverdale Foods Company (Mandan) was awarded $105,000 to improve a trolley system designed for chilling during the cooking process to ensure food safety and subsequent processing. Contact Justin Brotzler at 701-663-9511.
Gardendwellers FARM (Esmond) was awarded $7,093 to begin processing and packaging of freeze-dried herbs to provide an easily packed and carried product available throughout the year for marketing to its agritourism visitors. Contact Holly Mawby at 701-351-2520.
Gardendwellers Ranch (Esmond) was awarded $3,223 to begin a campaign to attend farmers markets across the northern portion of North Dakota to promote the consumption of local lamb meat. It also will provide the meat source for the entree serving at an annual farm-to-table dinner in central North Dakota. Contact Adam Mawby at 701-230-7577
Hankinson Renewable Energy LLC (Hankinson) was awarded $52,500 to conduct an improvement project to its current plant. This $3.2 million project will involve the installation of stack heat recovery equipment that will improve plant efficiencies and increase ethanol production. Contact Dodi Matti at 952-465-0229.
Invigoils LLC (Bismarck) was awarded $49,416 to research a project to source regional identity preserved oilseed commodities for cold press processing for a commercial market of both human and animal consumption. Contact Larry White at 701-471-4698.
Rapha Global Corporation (Tappen) was awarded $10,500 to implement a marketing plan developed by NDSU to sell Rapha's Flax Hull Lignans and other innovative flaxseed nutritional products. Contact Lon Cummings at 320-304-4324.
Tuttle Community Development Corporation (Tuttle) was awarded $37,013 to implement a marketing plan to sell fresh pasta to food service accounts within a 250-mile radius of Tuttle. Contact Vonette Mehlhoff at 701-391-1497.
UND - Odegard School of Aerospace Sciences (Grand Forks) was awarded $59,113 to research a partnership with Australian technology startup Bee Innovative to unlock an entirely new market for agricultural drones In the United States. The company has experience in tracking honeybees in real time for precision. Contact Paul Snyder at 701-777-7813.
APUC is an office within Economic Development and Finance, a division of the North Dakota Department of Commerce. For additional program information please visit North Dakota APUC at www.NDAPUC.com.