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Northern Crops Institute seeks additional operating funds and pilot equipment as utility estimates rise
Summary
The Northern Crops Institute asked senators for $788,400 in additional biennial operating funds, noted higher-than-expected utility costs for its new facility, and requested $350,000 one-time for a pilot air-classification system to expand protein and ingredient services.
David Behn, director of the Northern Crops Institute, told the Senate Appropriations —Government Operations Division that NCI needs additional operating support and a small equipment investment to expand technical services to commodity and food industry partners.
"The NCI's mission is to support regional agriculture and value added processing by conducting educational and technical programs that expand and maintain domestic and international markets for northern grown crops," Behn said.
Behn asked the committee to approve $788,400 in additional operating expenses for the biennium, saying a large share would cover increased utilities and operating costs for the Peltier complex, NCI's new facility. He told senators the original May 2024 estimate for utilities used in the request was $584,000 a year, but a more recent estimate is about $737,000 for the biennium, a change Behn said is not reflected in the $788,400 ask.
NCI also requested $350,000 in one-time funding to purchase a pilot-scale air classification system that would separate proteins, starch and fiber from regional flours for food- and ingredient-development work. Behn said the equipment is not available elsewhere in the region and that it would enable expanded client services and partnership work with university cereal and food science programs.
Behn highlighted recent investments and activity: NCI completed relocation to the Peltier complex in 2024 and received $3.9 million under House Bill 1020 to upgrade a feed production center used in technical services; NCI surveys and short courses report that global attendees have increased U.S. ingredient purchases and that technical services led to increased commodity purchases by private clients.
Supporters at the hearing underscored NCI's market-development role. Justin Sherlock of the North Dakota Soybean Growers Association said NCI helps translate research into market opportunities and develops future food-science workers through part-time and student hires. Behn closed by asking the committee to consider NCI's operating request and one-time equipment proposal as part of the agency budget review.
No formal vote appears in the transcript; senators asked clarifying questions about utility estimates and which portions of NCI's request were included in the governor's recommendation.
