The mayor of Grand Forks anticipates that Agristo, a European potato producer, to initiate construction on a new processing plant in 2026. This will mark Agristo’s first U.S. facility, representing a $450 million investment. North Dakota legislators have allocated $30 million in incentives to support this development.
Mayor Brandon Bochenski stated on The Flag’s What’s On Your Mind?, “It’s going to be a huge boom for the potato industry across the state and for northwest Minnesota,” Bochenski noted that the state funding was instrumental in securing the project, helping North Dakota outcompete states like Wisconsin. “We have better farmers, better land, and people, so that last piece made sure it landed here,” he added.
Agristo is negotiating the purchase of land from Fufeng USA for the new facility. Fufeng had initially acquired the land for a corn mill plant, but the proximity to Grand Forks Air Force Base raised national security concerns, leading the city to cancel the deal with the Chinese company. Bochenski remarked, “They’re [Agristo] going to pick up that land in its entirety so there won’t be any more Chinese ownership, which is going to be great.”
Source: Valley News
