Appropriations panel restores $10 million for Great Plains Food Bank warehouse

The Appropriations Committee voted to restore a $10,000,000 one-time state appropriation in House Bill 1143 to help fund a new statewide food distribution center for the Great Plains Food Bank.

Committee chair and members debated an amendment that moved the House's reduced figure of $5 million back to $10 million. “This bill is about, it's about food. It's about food for those that aren't very wealthy,” Senator Burkhart said while introducing the measure.

Supporters said the food bank serves the entire state and has outgrown its current facility. Committee members cited rising food insecurity in North Dakota: committee discussion referenced that more than 56,000 North Dakotans and roughly one in three children used a food pantry or soup kitchen in the last year and that the food bank distributed a record 16,000,000 pounds in 2024. Senator Burkhart said the capital campaign totals $30.5 million, with an expected $20 million to be raised by donors and a remaining $10 million gap the appropriation would fill.

Opponents questioned the dollar amount but acknowledged the organization's statewide reach. Senator Sickler said he intended to vote no on the amendment while commending the food bank's statewide work.

The amendment to restore $10 million passed on a recorded vote, and the committee later approved the bill as amended. The committee recorded the amendment vote as passing 11–5 and the final due-pass-as-amended vote as 15–1; Senator Burkhart was designated to carry the bill forward.

The bill's text and committee record indicate the appropriation is a one-time capital support item; no additional statutory citations or ongoing funding were added in committee. The committee did not adopt further conditions or report-back requirements in the hearing record.