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The library on our web site contains all of our articles. Listed below are the most recent articles we have published to this site, ordered by most recent. Click here to view a list of all articles available.

Private Sector Initiatives to Guarantee Food Safety and Environmental Standards

2007-11-04

One of the strongest forces impacting global food trade is widespread consumer demand for assurance that their food is safe. Over the past few years an extended series of incidents in the food sector, especially in Europe, has created public uncertainty and discomfort. Because of these potential assaults on the personal health of consumers and the immense cost to producers and grocers once consumers lose confidence in the food system, the issue of food safety has risen to the top of the global food industry agenda. The questions are: Who is responsible for guaranteeing safe food? and, What is the best way to guarantee that the food supply is safe?

2001 Annual Report

2007-11-04

The articles in this report include:

The President’s Welcome
First Annual Prairie Café
NGP Presentations
Traceability Study in Europe
New Food Processing Opportunities
Trade & Transportation Study in Final Stages
MN County Web Portals Created
eBusiness for Agriculture Workshop
Audit Letter and Reports
NGP Staff/Interns/Board Members

2002 Annual Report

2007-11-04

The articles in this report include:

The President’s Welcome
Three New Board of Directors Appointed
Al Olson does not Seek Re-election
FarmConnect Becomes Independent
Renewing the Countryside-North Dakota Project Underway
NGP Launches Workforce Training Project
Quality of Place Focus of Second Annual Prairie Cafe held in Iowa
Audit Letter and Reports
NGP Staff/Interns/Board Members

2003 Annual Report

2007-11-04

The articles in this report include:

President’s Welcome
The European Study Tour: Rethinking the Role of the Producer
What EUREPGAP Means to the American Farmer
Traceability of Agricultural Products
Renewing the Countryside—North Dakota
eBusiness Training for Rural Enterprises
Third Annual Prairie Café Held in South Dakota
Audit Letter - Red River Trade Council, Inc.
Audit Letter - Northern Great Plains Inc.
Audit Reports

A Buzz of Creativity and Entrepreneurship

2007-11-04

There is a buzz of activity on Main Street in Isle, Minnesota in a building that has been converted into part art studio, part gift shop. The studio, or Creative Center, offers classes and workshops for artists and budding artists to learn or improve their craft and learn vital business skills. It also provides studio space for artisans to create their products. The gift shop, Someday Isle, provides an outlet for these same artisans to sell their wares--from hand woven rugs, to floral arrangements, to rubber stamps.

A Case for International Cooperation in the Red River Basin

2007-11-04

There is a growing recognition among rural communities and regions that new responses to the economic problems they face must be developed. The old development strategies of industrial recruitment and brush stroke technical assistance to local businesses, while effective in the 1970s and 1980s, have become limiting strategies for the 1990s. As businesses adjust to a rapidly changing marketplace and become more integrated into the global economy, so must local, regional and state economic development programs.

Agriculture and Natural Resource Activities

2007-11-04

Our natural resources and agricuture sector are key elements of the Region’s economic foundation. Northern Great Plains’ work in this area is targeted at developing strategies for the highest and best use of the Region’s natural resources. Much of this work is focused on developing farming or other land use programs that help producers be profitable while being good stewards of the land.

An Overview of Transportation Infrastructure and Services in the Northern Great Plains

2007-11-04

This project, called “Transportation, Trade, and Economic Development: Maximizing Future Opportunities in the Northern Great Plains,” is a multistage study. The first stage involves the creation of two baseline pictures: one for the region’s transportation infrastructure and a second for its current production and trade. These baselines are presented in separate reports. This document is the executive summary of the NGP transportation baseline picture. It outlines the highway, rail, maritime, and air networks, presents the key issues for each mode, and forms the basis for the future phases of the project.

April - The Historic Villages of Van Buren County

2007-11-04

In the mid-1800s, Van Buren County thrived as water-powered industries grew along millstreams. But after those first heady decades, population levels dwindled and the small villages deteriorated.

August - Sunflower Fields Community Supported Agriculture

2007-11-04

“I do this because it is the love of my life,” says Michael Nash of his role in Sunflower Fields CSA, a community supported agriculture operation in northeast Iowa. Established in 1996, the CSA’s purpose is to get top-quality, local food into the homes of people in their community.

August 2000 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

August 2000, volume 3, issue 2
In this issue:
Knowledge Management Conference Slated
Staff Updates
Overview of Northern Great Plains Transportation Sector Now Complete
New Web Publishing Specialists Join NGPIRD Staff
R.J. Baker Appointed to Represent Iowa on NGPIRD Board

Badlands Trail Rides

2007-11-04

Thorris and Lynell Sandvick love their lifestyle and beautiful surroundings and enjoy sharing their spectacular corner of the West with guests. For over 30 years, they have run Badland Trail Rides in the stunning region north of Killdeer. Their business offers visitors a rare western experience and provides the Sandvicks with a way to make a living in a place they love.

Building Small Business Websites Workbook

2007-11-04

Small businesses in rural areas are often unsure of how to begin the process of promoting their products or services on the Internet. Many businesses that have had a web presence for some time have not had the results they had anticipated and often wonder what they can do to improve the impact of their websites. This workbook is intended to serve as a self-guided learning resource or as a guide for instructors who are interested in providing workshops for small businesses that are interested in gaining a better understanding of the Internet and small business websites.

Capturing the Wind

2007-11-04

On a cold and windy October day in 2003, a refurbished wind turbine was activated with the flip of a switch in rural Pope County. This 35 kilowatt turbine once stood in California, but now has been completely rebuilt by a company in South Dakota and placed in service for likely another 20 years.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Grain and Food Sectors

2007-11-04

Ron Olson, VP for Grain Operations, General Mills

We believe strongly that there's a power shift going on with consolidation. When that happens, the dollars are going to shift more towards the front end of the supply chain in the future. That doesn't mean that the food manufacturers and retailers aren't going to make their fair share of the market. But if we create an added value, which we do over time, it's who gets the benefit of that.

Changing Dynamics in Surface Transportation

2007-11-04

Chip Smith, President and CEO, Twin Modal, Inc.

You can't look at just these regional trends and you can't look at just our intermediary activities without understanding the trends that are going on outside of this region. Then you have to come back and say, Okay, if this is what's going on in the rest of the world, let's look at our region again at these issues and how do these impact what we can do, should do, and should not do.

Changing Roles of European Producers

2007-11-04

Cees D. Roele, Consultant on Sustainable Rural Development

Throughout Europe we are seeing an evolution in the roles agricultural producers are expected to play. Many of these changes revolve around an intense, on-going discussion of the need for “sustainable agriculture.” However, the meaning of sustainability differs in different countries. In northwestern Europe, talking about “sustainability” is commonly considered as being a discussion about environmental affairs. In southern Europe, more attention is paid to social aspects.

Community Leaders Meet with Congressman Latham

2007-11-04

WASHINGTON, DC – Representatives with Northern Great Plains, Inc., a network of business, academic and policy leaders working together to build a strong economic and healthy ecological future for the people and communities on the Northern Great Plains recently met with Iowa Congressman Tom Latham in Washington, DC. The group was in Washington to discuss their organization and update Members of Congress on their current and future activities.

Community Vitality Activities

2007-11-04

Northern Great Plains Inc. conducts pilot projects, education programs and research on issues of importance to the long-term economic health and the vitality of the Region’s communities. These activities focus primarily on issues that impact the Region’s rural economy. The work is often multi-disciplinary, linking NGP programs with each other and NGP initiatives with other efforts throughout the Region.

Crane Creek Gardens

2007-11-04

As a young child, Kari Warberg’s entrepreneurial spirit helped her sell fresh squeezed lemonade. As an adult, that same spirit led her to develop Crane Creek Gardens, a thriving business that produces perfume, potpourri and air fresheners. All Kari’s products are carefully designed to reflect the regional beauty of North Dakota and all are grown and manufactured in ways kind to the earth.

Dakota Adventures

2007-11-04

For many, the word “ecotourism” congers up images of hiking through a tropical rain forest, but Melanie Thornberg, through her company Dakota Adventures, organizes equally incredible ecotours in North Dakota.

December - Prairie’s Edge Sustainable Woods Cooperative

2007-11-04

Healthy profits from healthy forests: “We can have both,” according to northeast Iowa landowners who have formed the Prairie’s Edge Sustainable Woods Cooperative. It is an old concept with a new twist. Individuals pool their ideas and assets to pursue a group venture that might overwhelm one person.

December 2006 plainsspeaking

2007-11-04

In this issue...

EurepGAP’s Emerging Dominance in Pre-Farmgate Protocols: Implications for Regional Farmers

Meadowlark Soars

19th & 20th century Immigration

Meadowlark and Good to Great

American Indians on the NGP

“New Immigrants” in the Midwest

Delicious Milk Direct

2007-11-04

Dave and Florence Minar are thinking outside of the box to preserve their third-generation dairy farm for their children and grandchildren. Minnesota loses a family-owned dairy farm every day because for many dairy farming is no longer profitable. But by processing their own products and selling these directly to customers, the Minars are able to capture much more of the profits than selling their milk to a dairy cooperative.

Distress Criteria for the Northern Great Plains Authority

2007-11-04

These maps of the five state region of North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, and Minnesota identify, on a county by county basis, the counties that meet the criteria as specified. Guests are consented to used these map images for presentations and publications without express permission of the Northern Great Plains Inc. The images are high resolution 816 x 1026 pixel JPG ranging in size from 250 - 400 Kilobytes.

eBusiness Project Meeting Goals

2007-11-04

February 28, 2004 - Initial survey results from the NGP project “Building an eBusiness Ready Workforce in the Northern Great Plains” indicate the project is meeting its goals. Our plans were to deliver an initial series of workshops in ten communities and to stimulate continued training programs for small businesses in the business use of computers and the Internet. Funded by a grant from the US Department of Labor, the project will eventually provide 32 – 40 hours of training to over 200 people.

Economic & Policy Analysis Activities

2007-11-04

As the world continues to establish multi-national trading blocks and global trade rules, states, regions, provinces, cities, and communities are joining together in regional associations to address common economic and environmental interests. NGP is working with many of these groups to share knowledge, cooperate on issues of common interest and strengthen economic relationships.

EUREPGAP - Private Sector Food Safety and Environmental Standards

2007-11-04

One of the strongest forces shaping new ways of thinking about the role of producers in Europe is widespread consumer demand for assurance that their food is safe. Over the past few years an extended series of incidents in the European food business has created public uncertainty and discomfort. The list includes such widely reported crises as mad cow disease (BSE), dioxin, diesel fuel in palm oil, sewage waste in feed, listeria in cheese, salmonella and antibiotics in poultry, and E-coli in animal meat. Because of these potential assaults on the personal health of consumers and the immense cost to European producers and grocers once consumers lose confidence in the food system, the issue of food safety has risen to the top of the European food agenda.

Faribault Woolen Mills

2007-11-04

German immigrant Carl H. Klemer, a visionary entrepreneur, founded Faribault Woolen Mills Company in 1865 in the then sleepy farming community of Faribault. The company grew and its famous brand name became a symbol of high-quality and craftsmanship. Today Faribault Mills produces more than half of the new wool blankets made in America.

FarmConnect—Matchmaking in Farming Country

2007-11-04

Lynn Brekke is one of an increasing number of farmers who are raising organically-grown soybeans for specialized markets. He is a member of FarmConnect—an alliance of 730 progressive crop and livestock producers in Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota and Illinois. Together, FarmConnect members manage hundreds of thousands of acres of North America’s most productive farmland. FarmConnect links producers willing to grow certain crops in a certain way (e.g. GMO-free or organic) to customers who are looking for a specific type, quality and volume of product.

February - Harvesting the Wind

2007-11-04

A familiar sight on the Iowa landscape are the tractors that comb the earth harvesting thousands of acres of corn and soybeans. Less familiar are the statuesque structures dotting the horizon, harvesting a new crop: the wind. Iowa currently boasts over 400 utility-scale wind turbines.

February 1999 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

February 1999, volume 2, issue 1
In this issue:
Greenhouse Study Tour Scheduled for March in the Netherlands
Transportation, Trade & Economic Development: Maximizing Future Opportunities in the NGP
NGP Initiative Welcomes New Board Members

February 2003 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

February 2003, volume 6, issue 1
In this issue:

From the President
In Europe, Food with a Pedigree
Study Program on Agriculture and Environmental Stewardship in Europe Planned for July 2003
NGP eBusiness Training Project Reaching Goals
Renewing the Countryside – North Dakota
James Barr New NGP Nebraska Board of Director

February 2004 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

February 2004, volume 7, issue 1
In this issue:

From the President
Changing Roles of European Producers
EUREPGAP: A Private Sector Initiative to Guarantee Food Safety and Environmental Standards
Strategic Goals for Website Design
eBusiness Workshops Survey Highlights
Renewing the Countryside – North Dakota

Food Production for the Global Consumer

2007-11-04

Chris Wolf, VP & Managing Director, Strategic Food Resources, Noble & Associates

How do we track consumer trends? How do we know wraps are coming up? I'm going to have to look back at the issues of the Food Channel. I've never looked back to see if what we were saying actually ever comes true, but we try. We look at the world in a lot of different kind of boxes, and what you see here are some kinds of paraphrased titles from magazines and newspapers and the Internet and papers from the government. We break them into areas like politics, technology, economy, demography, socioculture, and environment. By keeping in touch with all those different areas and obviously having a focus, which is on the consumer and their needs as they relate to food, we are able to find the patterns and trends I want to talk about today.

Food Production for the Global Consumer

2007-11-04

Garrison’s Dickens Village Festival

2007-11-04

For three weekends each year between Thanksgiving and Christmas, the small, close knit community of Garrison, North Dakota, transforms itself into a quaint Victorian town from the era of Charles Dickens. Festooned in period dress, the residents volunteer to become Dickens’ characters, welcoming visitors to the Dickens Village Festival.

Global Competition: Opportunities and Challenges for Manufacturers

2007-11-04

Egils Milbergs, Executive VP of the National Coalition for Advanced Manufacturing

Think back to the mid '80s. This was a time our productivity growth rates were approaching zero in the manufacturing sector. We talked about the Rust Belt. I grew up in Illinois so that was the term. We talked about deindustrialization. We talked about the hollowing out of America. We talked about losing huge markets to Japan and Europe. We had the twin deficits -- the trade deficit and budget deficit -- that were intertwined with our loss of competitiveness. And where are we today? We bounced back. We've come back out on top. We did not go into this slough of despond, but we ended up fighting back. And today we are unquestionably the economic leader of the world.

Global Trends in Agriculture: A Farm Machinery Manufacturer’s Perspective

2007-11-04

Gary Frazier, John Deere & Co.
Today I'd like to talk just a little bit about some of the major trends that are shaping agriculture as it moves through this century and on into the next millennium. I think it's particularly important to this region since such a large component of your economy is agriculturally based -- upwards of 20 percent of all of the jobs in the region that this group is focusing on are related to agriculture. In states such as Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, over 90 percent of the land use is devoted to agriculture.

Global Trends in Agriculture: A Farm Machinery Manufacturer’s Perspective

2007-11-04

Gary Frazier, John Deere & Co.

Today I'd like to talk just a little bit about some of the major trends that are shaping agriculture as it moves through this century and on into the next millennium. I think it's particularly important to this region since such a large component of your economy is agriculturally based -- upwards of 20 percent of all of the jobs in the region that this group is focusing on are related to agriculture. In states such as Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, over 90 percent of the land use is devoted to agriculture.

Global Trends in Agriculture: A Farm Machinery Manufacturer’s Perspective

2007-11-04

Gary Frazier, John Deere & Co.

Today I'd like to talk just a little bit about some of the major trends that are shaping agriculture as it moves through this century and on into the next millennium. I think it's particularly important to this region since such a large component of your economy is agriculturally based -- upwards of 20 percent of all of the jobs in the region that this group is focusing on are related to agriculture. In states such as Iowa, Nebraska, North and South Dakota, over 90 percent of the land use is devoted to agriculture.

Golden Flax 4U, Inc.

2007-11-04

Fiber, omega-3 fatty acids, and lignans are three reasons flaxseed is gaining popularity. These substances, all found in flaxseed, are associated with important health benefits. In North Dakota, farmers are finding economic benefits in flax too.

Harvest Moon Community Farm

2007-11-04

Nestled in the beautiful St. Croix Valley near Scandia is Harvest Moon Community Farm. The farm provides children and families opportunities to explore the arts and their connection to nature in a rural environment. Harvest Moon offers a variety of programs, like the Create & Cultivate Farm Camp that gives children, ages 6-11, an opportunity to learn about sustainable agriculture, farm animals, environmental preservation, organic gardening, and the arts.

How we approach our work

2007-11-04

NGP Inc. approaches its work by utilizing a “look, analyze, act and evaluate” system for addressing needs and opportunities in the Region. We identify trends and needs and the related opportunities or challenges. We then carefully research and analyze the trend, need or opportunity to understand the implications for the Region. We follow with appropriate actions based upon our analysis – a strategy report, a training program, or a demonstration project. Finally, we evaluate the results, determining whether the work effectively addresses the need or opportunity involved and leads to measurable results that can be used throughout the Region.

I-29 Corridor Plan

2007-11-04

Interstate 29 (I-29) is the core of a north-south transportation corridor that moves people and goods between Kansas City, Missouri and the Canadian border just south of Winnipeg. Its defining feature is an interstate highway designated as a Congressional High Priority Corridor under the 1998 Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA21). However, it includes air, rail, waterway, and intermodal facilities in its transportation system, and rural and urban areas in its affected economies. The I-29 corridor has been described by other reports as a prominent part of a Mexico-Canada (Central) corridor, a Mid-Continent Corridor, and a “NAFTA Superhighway.” By whatever name, it is an important throughway for cargo and passenger movement in the heart of the nation.

Information Technology at NGP

2007-11-04

Information Technology plays a vital role in the economic and social vitality of the Northern Great Plains. NGP has a long history of technology awareness, training, and support projects. Our goal is to help rural businesses keep pace with the fast changes in today’s economy.

January - Bogenrief Studios

2007-11-04

Walking into the Bogenrief Studio in Merrill feels like entering the business end of a kaleidoscope. Bits of richly colored glass, beveled and shaped, combine to form magnificent lampshades, windows, and ceiling panels. Intricate floral designs, elaborate compositions of people in nature, and “the ladies”--rose-cheeked maidens in flowing gowns—are some of the stunning pieces created by Mark Bogenrief.

January 2006 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

In this issue...

From the President

by Jerry Nagel ........................................................................... page 1

Reflections on Rural Values and Principles

by Eliot Glassheim ..................................................................... page 2

The Changing Demographics of the Latino Population

by Amalia Anderson, League of Rural Voters/

Main Street Project ..................................................................... page 4

Creating a Better Future Takes Cooperation and Unity

by Alyssa Macy, Center for Civic Participation ........................... page 6

What Youth Really Want ~ According to Me ~

by Melissa Sobolik ..................................................................... page 7

Prairie Rural Action Survey Results

by Melissa Sobolik and Dale Wiehoff,

Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy .................................... page 9

Rural Youth Action Group Formed

by Melissa Sobolik ....................................................................page 11

Native Species: Opportunities for the

Northern Great Plains

by Eliot Glassheim ................................................................... page 12

NGP Welcomes Susan Thompson

by Melissa Sobolik ................................................................... page 14

Jerry Nagel and Bruce Brorson Among Torch and Shield Recipients

2007-11-04

October 30, 2002 - The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC) honored six individuals with the Torch and Shield Award at the annual Torch and Shield Banquet, held Wednesday, October 30, on the UMC campus. The awards recognize individuals who have provided leadership and who have aided in the development of the campus. Among those receiving awards were Jerry Nagel, Northern Great Plains Inc. President and Bruce Brorson, former Northern Great Plains Inc. Vice President of Technology.

Jerry Nagel Remarks at April 26, 2005 Rural Advocacy Meeting

2007-11-04

We can work together to develop a common, shared language or message about what rural is and can be – a message that we can use in our daily lives, in our work and in our political efforts – a message of values and principles that can translate into policies that are good for rural America. And we think a rural policy agenda that represents a shared set of values can have an impact at the local, regional, national and international levels.

July - The Connell Family’s Gift to Future Generations

2007-11-04

The Woodford-Ashland Lone Tree Point Nature Area, on Clear Lake’s southwest shore, includes woodlands, wetlands, and natural shoreline. Besides morel mushrooms, and spring wildflowers, the area is home to red fox, wild turkeys, and Canadian geese. “This is a very special place of peace and quiet,” says Marcia Connell, whose family owns the land. “It’s good for the soul here.”

July 1999 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

June 1999, volume 2, issue 2
In this issue:
Minnesota Marketplace Funded
Who Owns Your Domain Name?
Lessons Learned – The Internet as a Commerce Media
Peterson Interns at NGP Initiative

July 2002 - NGP launches eBusiness Workforce Training

2007-11-04

- Northern Great Plains (NGP) has launched a pilot project entitled “Building an eBusiness Ready Rural Workforce in the Northern Great Plains: Developing a Model Program for eBusiness Training”. Funded by a $468,000 grant from the U.S. Department of Labor, the project seeks to address growing concerns in the Region’s rural economy regarding workforce skills to serve the developing eCommerce needs of rural businesses. NGP will work with ten communities of interest (geographic or industry group) and at least five companies in each community to provide eBusiness training to 200 incumbent or underemployed workers.

July 2005 NGP Newsletter

2007-11-04

Jerry Nagel Chosen a Donella Meadows Leadership Fellow
by Melissa Sobolik .................................................................... page 1

Melissa Sobolik Joins NGP as Research Associate
by Melissa Sobolik ..................................................................... page 1

A Globally Harmonized System of Private Sector Protocols:
Threats and Opportunities for American Farmers
by Eliot Glassheim ..................................................................... page 2

NGP Office Has Moved
by Melissa Sobolik ..................................................................... page 4

Regional Rural Summit: Renewing National Awareness
of the Rural Agenda
by Jerry Nagel ............................................................................ page 5

Trends in European Agriculture
by Eliot Glassheim ..................................................................... page 6

Action Summits Energize Research Corridor
by Delore Zimmerman ................................................................ page 9

Editor: Melissa Sobolik msobolik@ngplains.org

June - The Petty Family’s Iowa River Ranch

2007-11-04

Along the eastern bank of the Iowa River, Dave and Dian Petty’s cow/calf, cattle-feeding, and crop operation stretches for seven miles between Eldora and Union and spans nearly 3,000 acres. About half of the land is rented from twenty neighbors; the Petty’s own the rest.

June 2004 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

In this issue...

From the President
by Jerry Nagel, President

Mapping the Future - Discovering the Northern
Great Plains in 2015

Prairie Café 2004

RRV Research Corridor to Host “Biosciences Action
Summit” in Grand Forks, North Dakota
by Delore Zimmerman, CEO Praxis

Finding Funds for Rural Development
by Thomas D. Rowley, RUPRI Fellow

Knowledge for the Next Millenium

2007-11-04

Speaker Transcripts from the NGP Trade and Transportation Conference.

Knowledge for the Next Millenium

2007-11-04

Speaker Transcripts from the NGP Trade and Transportation Conference.

Laying the Foundation for a Prosperous Agriculture in the New Millenium

2007-11-04

Jim Prokopanko
VP & Retail Crop Inputs Manager, North American Cargill Grain Division

History has shown that companies that can't change quickly don't last. Of the 12 largest companies that existed in the United States in 1900, only one exists today and that's General Electric. Of the 25 biggest companies in 1960, only six are around today. The real question for all of us is, can we change fast enough to survive? It's the “dinosaur's dilemma”: evolve or die, adapt or die. A few years ago, a researcher at Cargill said, If we don't figure out this biotechnology thing, we're going to be like the vacuum tube companies. Of the six leading vacuum tube companies that existed in 1955, there's only one left today that successfully transferred into the transistor business, and they're a minor niche player in the transistor business.

Links to Our Partners

2007-11-04

Links to some of our project partners.

Living by the Cycles of Nature at Round River Farm

2007-11-04

Round River Farm, in the hills of Lake Superior’s north shore, is home to David and Lisa Abazs, and their sons Tremayne and Colby. Virtually every step they take in their life, every product they buy, every improvement they make on their house and land, is based on their decision to live by the cylces of nature and to tread lightly on the earth.

Manufacturing in the 21st Century—A Time for Innovation

2007-11-04

Ned Ellington, Director, Manufacturing Systems & Technologies, National Institute of Standards & Technology

Manufacturing is a change in landscape. We can easily count how many we have because we have old rules on what is a manufacturer and what's not a manufacturer. The Census Bureau does that. But it's changing dramatically. For example, we were talking just a few minutes ago, a software manufacturer, somebody producing software, he's a manufacturer, and we would say yes. We're very liberal in our definition. Food processing, is that manufacturing? To us it is. It's manufacturing. It's converting something -- products, services, raw materials -- into something that has a higher value. And that's as simple a definition as I'd like to stick with in manufacturing.

Manufacturing in the 21st Century—A Time for Innovation

2007-11-04

March - Seed Savers Exchange

2007-11-04

In 1971, Kent and Diane Whealy were granted a sacred trust when Diane’s grandfather gave them seeds of two varieties of garden plants brought over by his parents from Bavaria when they emigrated in the 1870’s. The Whealys realized these rare varieties would vanish if they did not grow the plants and harvest and save the seed.

March 1998 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

March 1998, volume 1, issue 1
In this issue:
Northern Great Plains Initiative for Rural Development – A New Name –
Continued Vision
NGP Commission Reports Still Available

March 2001 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

March 2001, volume 4, issue 1
In this issue:

Farm Bill Discussions Begin on Capitol Hill
The Evolving New Era of Agriculture
NGP Provides Strong Support to Producer Alliances
Traceability Study Program Planned for July 16-20
Knowledge Management Conference Recap
Myrdahl’s Term on RRTC Board of Directors Ends
Hogan Joins the NGP Board of Directors
Judd Graham Named President of Wells Fargo in Grand Forks
Be Aware! Domain Name Scams are out There!
NGP to Offer NetObjects Fusion Training
Trade Patterns and the Economy of the NGP: A Baseline Report Summary Available
From the President

March 2002 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

March 2002, volume 5, issue 1
Special Issue
The Plan that Transformed Brittany, France

May - Home-Grown Energy—Midwest Grain Processors

2007-11-04

The corn grown across Iowa’s landscape is often shipped out-of-state to processors who turn it into something more valuable. The processors make a much larger profit than the farmers who grew the corn. Farmers in northern Iowa wanted to capture more of the profits themselves, so they worked together to form Midwest Grain Processors, Iowa’s largest farmer-owned ethanol plant.

Meadowlark Scenarios Show Different Futures for the Region

2007-11-04

Have you ever wondered what your community might look like in the future? Ever wondered what your kids or grandkids might be doing 40 years from now? A group based in Fargo, North Dakota has taken on the challenge of envisioning our region’s future two generations out. Northern Great Plains Inc. and a group of 25 rural leaders have convened the Meadowlark Project Leadership Laboratory to look at the future of our region and find innovative ways to make sure it is a positive one for everyone living here. One way they are doing that is to get the entire region talking about its future using scenarios. The Leadership group has written four scenarios that outline what’s could be store for us in 2050, and how the decisions we make today will inevitably impact our future.

Minnestalgia and Memories of Grandma’s House

2007-11-04

Jay Erckenbrack has powerful memories of visiting his grandparents as a child. He remembers spreading homemade jelly on fresh warm bread that came straight out of the oven. Now with his business, Minnestalgia, Jay strives to evoke similar memories for his customers.

Mission Statement

2007-11-04

The Northern Great Plains Inc. develops and implements regional solutions to issues and concerns in the Northern Great Plains that are regional in nature or are region-wide and can best be addressed through regional action.

Native Flora and Fauna Research

2007-11-04

Further research in the comparative economic and ecological advantage of increasing the amount of species native to this Region may provide new economic opportunities to producers, landowners, and rural communities. This could lead to increased habitat and greater diversity in our prairie lands. It could provide new food and nonfood crop production processing opportunities, new tourism and recreation development, reduced energy usage or production of energy through other sources such as wind and bio-fuels, and encourage communities to begin building a stronger association with the landscape around them.

Native Species - Opportunities for the Northern Great Plains

2007-11-04

A variety of factors—increasing global competition in bulk commodities; growing consumer fears about food safety; increasing concerns in suburban areas about the environmental impacts of agriculture practices on wildlife health and water quality; growing interest among consumers in natural products; and, certainly, the impact of continued low commodity prices while input costs increase—all combine to create a complex and challenging future for northern Great Plains agriculture. In response, a growing number of regional producers are developing multiple sources of income to maintain their agricultural base and link production strategies with survival of the Region’s businesses and communities.

NGP Support for Producer Alliances

2007-11-04

A significant activity that has emerged within the Region in recent years is the formation of producer alliances. Although not a new concept, farmer cooperatives and producer alliances are strongly aligned with value-added agriculture and development of new markets. Producer alliances in contrast are more strongly focused on market development of new markets. Producer alliances in contrast are more strongly focused on market development initiatives and are not specific commodity or product focused. Producer alliances have a goal of establishing mechanisms for producers to respond to new market opportunities that bring higher return to the producer.

NGPRDC - Transportation

2007-11-04

Increasing globalization of the world's economy, opportunities for expanded export of food products, and Congressional passage and approval of the North American Free Trade Agreement place the heartland of North America within a new era as a geographic crossroads for international trade. In order to fully participate in a growing and changing global economy the Northern Great Plains region will need to do more than just identify and develop new export markets for its manufactured goods, shift its agricultural export focus from export of bulk commodities toward export of food products, and provide expanded trade development services for rural businesses. The region will need to actively work to ensure that its transportation infrastructure is capable of serving the international trade and transportation needs of the region.

NGPRDC - Business Development

2007-11-04

NGPRDC - Civic and Social Capacity

2007-11-04

What is meant by civic and social capacity? These terms have come to mean the combination of citizens' skills, commitment to community, and resources (both internal and external) that are the foundation of survival and prosperity. These capacities enhance the chance that economic development will be successful. For example, citizen groups that use a strategic planning process for guiding the future of their community are applying the same skills needed for good business management and entrepreneurial expansion. Civic and social capacity is the necessary foundation for community and economic development at all levels.

NGPRDC - Civic and Social Capacity

2007-11-04

NGPRDC - Health Care

2007-11-04

Health care is experiencing dramatic policy and market driven changes. Even so, it continues to be a growth industry. Its growth over the next several decades will be due largely to the nation's aging population and will create many opportunities for rural communities. Rural areas must think creatively about how to produce business possibilities from this growth, and simultaneously recognize that these opportunities will develop within a remarkably different type of health care industry.

NGPRDC - International Trade

2007-11-04

Research on the economy of the Northern Great Plains by state land grant universities, USDA, state agencies, and the Federal Reserve system is remarkably consistent and the conclusions are stark. The region is one of the most productive in the world for several agricultural commodities. That is both its great strength and its great weakness. The combination of technological improvements in agriculture and an historical dependence upon commodity production has had sweeping impacts on the region's employment and income prospects, the structure and even future of its rural communities.

NGPRDC - Telecommunications

2007-11-04

The information superhighway has the potential to make our lives easier and more satisfying, even profitable. An advanced telecommunications infrastructure can serve a wide range of human needs. It can bring people together, help them become more productive and sustain or build communities to ensure continuity of the rural way of life.

What if, for the Northern Great Plains, the promise does not materialize? Should choices of rural place and quality of life be allowed to penalize our residents? To some extent, they already have. The isolation of rural businesses, which used to afford some protection from outside competition, is a handicap without the telecommunications access integral to business operations.

NGPRDC - Value Added Agriculture

2007-11-04

The Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission was established by the United States Congress in August 1994 to prepare a 10-year rural development strategy for the Northern Great Plains region of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. Early in its work, the Commission decided to focus on nine priority areas and formed work groups to address seven of them: business development, civic capacity, transportation infrastructure, international trade, value-added agriculture, telecommunications, and health care. This is the Value-Added Agriculture Work Group's final report.

NGPRDC - Value Added Agriculture

2007-11-04

Non-Profit Research Facilities

2007-11-04

This publication contains information about non-profit research and development facilities in North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Nebraska, Manitoba & Saskatchewan. It is categorized by 23 areas of study.

Northern Great Plains Leaders Sign Historic Collaboration Agreement

2007-11-04

MINNEAPOLIS—Representatives of five states and two Canadian provinces on the Northern Great Plains have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on transportation and economic issues. On behalf of departments of transportation and economic development agencies of Iowa, Manitoba, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Saskatchewan and South Dakota, department heads or their designees met today in Minneapolis to sign the letter of intent to collaborate and to begin planning the next steps.

Northern Great Plains Regional Development Commission Narrative

2007-11-04

As the region approaches the 21st century, it is essential that each of us recognize and accept many changes taking place in the world and find new opportunities for the region within these shifts in global economic trading structures, advancing agricultural production technologies, emerging global identities among young people, and highly interactive communications technologies. We must position ourselves now to take advantage of existing and emerging opportunities that can build a strong, stable regional economy, dependent more upon our own personal dreams and initiative than upon a reliance on governments.

Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission Priority Recommendations

2007-11-04

Twenty Priority Recommendations of the 1997 Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission.

November - Howell’s Dried Florals and Greenhouse

2007-11-04

In the fertile rolling hills of Madison County you will find Howell’s Dried Florals and Greenhouse, owned and operated by Fred and Cindy Howell. Here, rainbows of flowers cover 15 acres of farmland. For many years, this century old farm produced hogs. In the mid-1980s, Fred decided to get out of the hog business, which was becoming increasingly unprofitable. He planted his first quarter acre of flowers—and the rest is history.

October - Building on a Community’s Heritage

2007-11-04

On the east edge of Manning stands a time machine. It is a meticulously restored German bauernhaus, or farmer’s house, a reflection of Manning’s proud German heritage.

October 2002 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

October 2002, volume 5, issue 2
In this issue:

From the President
North Dakota Renewing the Countryside Project Underway
Three New Board of Directors Appointed, Al Olson does not Seek Re-election
NGP Launches Workforce Training Project
Second Annual Prairie Café held in Iowa
Jerry Nagel and Bruce Brorson among UMC 2002 Torch and Shield Recipients

Opening Remarks from Trade and Transportation Conference

2007-11-04

Rep. John Thune of South Dakota

Dear Friends, thank you for the invitation to attend the Knowledge for the Next Millennium Conference. Although the House of Representatives' schedule prevents me from joining everyone in Sioux Falls today, I appreciate the opportunity to share a few thoughts with you. How will changing global markets and communications technologies impact agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation in our region in the coming decade? This is an important question with far ranging implications. With technology and communications advancing at lightning speed, it is vital that we not be left behind. This trade and transportation conference will provide insight into the important strategic decisions that need to be made as we enter the new millennium. As a member of the House Agriculture and Transportation Committees, I also realize that international trade will be critical to addressing the challenges facing rural America.

Overview - Northern Great Plains Regional Authority

2007-11-04

Under the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (the farm bill), Congress established the Northern Great Plains Regional Authority to provide assistance in implementing the recommendations of the Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission; acquire and develop land; construct or equip a highway, road, bridge or facility; carry out other economic development activities; and conduct research activities.

The PDF document contains the full text of the legislation.

Prairie Cafe 2002

2007-11-04

“Quality of Place—What is Essential for Vibrant Community Life in the 21st Century?” This was the issue discussed during the 2nd Annual Prairie Café, held July 29-30, 2002 at the Neal Smith Wildlife Refuge Prairie Learning Center Prairie City Iowa. Prairie Café is an open, yet informed discussion among selected invitees on a current or timely topic regarding the economic, social, or environmental future of the Northern Great Plains region.

Prairie Cafe 2003

2007-11-04

The primary objective of Prairie Café is to stimulate innovative thinking among the participants on a specific topic. Each year a new topic is discussed. A second objective is to encourage Prairie Café participants to continue the discussion within their organizations and among their friends, peers, civic leaders and colleagues in their home communities and throughout the NGP region. It is not the intent of Prairie Café to move the discussion toward specific conclusions or outcomes.

Prairie Cafe 2004

2007-11-04

The primary objective of Prairie Cafe is to stimulate innovative thinking among the participants about the topic. It is important to note, however, that it is not the intent of Prairie Cafe to move the discussions toward specific conclusions or outcomes. A secondary objective is to encourage Prairie Cafe participants to continue the discussion within their organizations and among their friends and colleagues in the Region.

The 2004 Prairie Cafe will be held July 26th, 2004 in the River Bluff Meeting Room at Ponca State Park, Ponca, Nebraska. Ponca State Park is located approximately 20 miles northwest of South Sioux City, Nebraska. The day will begin at 8:30 a.m. and conclude by 3:00 p.m. The 2004 Prairie Cafe will be modeled upon the World Cafe format.

Prairie Fire Pottery

2007-11-04

In 1995, Tama and her husband, Jerry DeMartin, started Prairie Fire Pottery in the little town of Beach, North Dakota. Using unusual and intense glazes, Tama creates beautiful, one-of-a-kind pottery. Buyers from throughout the country seek out her handmade trays, wall pieces, plates, bowls, cups and mugs. She sells her creative wares at her showroom and on her website.

PRAIRIE VOICES: Growing the Great Plains

2007-11-04

Article in the Grand Forks Herald, August 4, 2002

Biofuel refineries, fuel-cell factories and traceability networks could dot the landscape in years to come, the president of a regional think tank says.

Pride of the Prairie

2007-11-04

Food in the United States travels an average of 2,000 miles from the field to the plate and this process requires an input of over nine calories of food consumed. While it might make sense to ship lemons thousands of miles to northern climates where they cannot be grown—it makes little sense to ship tomatoes and carrots to Minnesota in the middle of summer.

Principles for a Rural Movement

2007-11-04

On April 26, 2005, over 75 people concerned about the future of rural America came together in Minneapolis to explore how they might work build a powerful movement that would reverse the decline of rural communities, re-invigorate the rural political voice and develop the inherent assets and natural resources to build strong rural economies.

It was agreed that work needed to happen at the local, regional and national level for this movement to succeed. To guide us in our various efforts we said we would adopt a set of principles against which we could check all our activities to ensure concurrence of purpose.

Private Sector Protocols: Threats and Opportunities for American Farmers

2007-11-04

The independent yeoman farmer celebrated by Thomas Jefferson as the foundation of democracy has for some time been more a honorable ideal than an actual reality. The current reality is that the farmer is now one part of an elaborate system of food production, processing, distribution and retailing. The road towards accepting this reality has not been without pain.

One stream of farming still flows from the traditional sense of independence praised by Jefferson. Throughout the country smaller sized farms are engaged in direct sales to consumers at farmers markets and home delivery to urban households, as well as selling their produce to nearby supermarkets. A step away, many farmers retain some control over product and price by participating in farmer-owned producer and/or processing cooperatives. But many other farmers and farm families, though operating as independent small businesses, have seen their production practices more and more constrained by the mass markets they serve.

Re-engineering Grain Logistics: Bulk Handling vs. Containerization

2007-11-04

Dr. Barry Prentice, Director of Transport Institute, and Associate Professor, University of Manitoba

Let me start by saying how pleased I am to have my first two speakers precede me because some of the things that they have said are things that I would like to have you think about. One is this whole notion of identity-preserved grains and GMOs and how we're going to deal with the aspect of small orders. And the second talk which dealt with those issues of change and that question about the evolution of change and do you see evolutionary change or do you simply see quantum leaps, and I'm with the former speaker. I think you see quantum leaps. These are the factors that lead business to change and to adopt new structures. One of the ways that we speak of this is called reengineering a logistical system or a marketing system. And if you think about it, there are some things that have changed.

Re-engineering Grain Logistics: Bulk Handling vs. Containerization

2007-11-04

Renewing the Countryside North Dakota

2007-11-04

Across North Dakota’s diverse and beautiful landscape, creative, hard-working people are bringing new energy to the countryside. With perseverance, inventiveness, and occasionally, simple good fortune, they are creating a new definition of what it means to live, work, and learn in rural America.

Rethinking the Role of the Producer in Society

2007-11-04

Northern Great Plains Inc. and the Great Plains Institute for Sustainable Development coordinated a study program on environmentally sensitive or reasonable agriculture practices in Europe and the relationship to food products.

Sacred Heart Monastery

2007-11-04

If fully developed, wind energy in North Dakota could supply 36 percent of all of the electricity needs for the United States. Leading the way into a wind generated future are the Benedictine Sisters at Sacred Heart Monastery in Richardton, North Dakota.

September - Iowa’s Emerging Wine Industry

2007-11-04

The more than 200 members of the Iowa Grape Growers Association want to restore both wine and table-grape growing to the prominent and profitable place it once enjoyed in Iowa agriculture. Before Prohibition and 2,4-D herbicides knocked it flat, Iowa’s grape industry ranked sixth among the states.

September 1998 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

September 1998, volume 1, issue 2

In this issue:
National Concern for Future of Northern Great Plains Rises
Red River Trade Summit 1998 – Partners in Progress: Through Technology & Trade

September 1999 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

September 1999, volume 2, issue 3
In this issue – special edition

“Knowledge for the Next Millennium: Actions on the Northern Great Plains."

September 2001 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

September 2001, volume 4, issue 2
In this issue:

Cross-border Regions are Becoming Important Drivers in the North American Community
Baseline Trade Report Published
Northern Great Plains Inc. Honored for FarmConnect Project
Community Economic Development – Score your eBusiness Service Capability
NGP Inc. Interns Hard at Work
Viruses and Hoaxes – Tips on Email Safety
From the President

Special Edition June 2006 plainspeaking

2007-11-04

The Meadowlark Leadership Lab Team will:

1. Create a vision of a positive, progressive future for the region;

2. Create living examples of how the entire northern Great Plains region can be a place of opportunity for all people;

and

3. Experience extraordinary leadership growth as individuals and for their organizations.

Strategic Goals for Website Design

2007-11-04

As the websites of organizations grow in size and complexity the management of these sites becomes challenging. It is not unusual for an organization to have a website that has grown in a few short years from its original “home page” to several thousand pages. This publication provides general advice for organizations planning the redesign of a large website.

The Cannonball Company

2007-11-04

The Cannonball Company lives up to its name, firing up the local economy in this remote part of North Dakota near the town of Regent. A partnership of landowners, bed and breakfast inns, and hunting guides make up the core of Cannonball, attracting hunters from far and wide to this prime pheasant, grouse and partridge hunting country.

The Enchanted Highway

2007-11-04

Gary Graff’s ambitious attempt to put his home town of Regent, North Dakota on the map seems to be working. In fact, it is working so well that his creations are frequently noted in tourist information guides and attract visitors from around the world.

The following principles guide our work

2007-11-04

- Successful rural development requires an integrated approach, linking the economy, the environment and society together. - Rural development efforts should build upon the Region’s human and natural capital and its financial and philanthropic resources. - Entrepreneurs must be empowered to look beyond local and regional boundaries. - The Region must anticipate and invest in emerging opportunities. - The Region must invest in people – through innovative education and training programs to ensure a vibrant, inclusive and energetic future. - Rural development strategies should mirror the diversity of the Region’s people and environment.

The Hansen Tree Farm

2007-11-04

Now in his nineties, Henry Hansen still enjoys the forest he and his wife planted in Anoka County on sandy fields that were bare and abandoned after the dust bowl yours and WWII. When Henry purchased these 40-acres and began planting trees, his vision was to convert the marginal farmland to trees and make enough income to send his three sons to college.

The Happy Gardeners

2007-11-04

In the fall of 1997, a young group of Fort Berthold Reservation 4-H members formed a garden club and applied for a National Youth Garden Grant. When they were awarded the grant to purchase tools, seed, fertilizer and other educational materials, their adult leader, Polly Cummings Case, asked the group, ages 6 to 14, Indian and non-Indian, what they would like to call themselves. They quickly choose the name “The Happy Gardeners.”

The Meadowlark Project

2007-11-04

The purpose of the Meadowlark Project Leadership Laboratory is to build demonstrated examples of the northern Great Plains as a place of opportunity. The Meadowlark Project will do this by bringing together committed, influential leaders who care deeply about the economic, social and environmental future of the northern Great Plains and want to work together to cause longterm systemic change in the region. These representatives of business, government, and NGOs all have a stake in the future of the region and are coming together to address opportunities and challenges that are more complex than they can address alone.

The New Marketplace in European Agriculture

2007-11-04

Farmers and ranchers around the world are struggling with the balance between profitability and production of commodities. They are also struggling with the growing disconnection between the farmer and the consumer. In addition, there is growing concern in the general public about the environmental consequences of larger-scale agriculture practices. Because of these concerns, American and European producers have begun exploring a variety of strategies to improve profitability, establish a stronger link with the consumer—especially those living in urban areas—and strengthen the link between agriculture practices and environmental sensitivity.

The North Outback

2007-11-04

Janet and Terry Jacobson are living proof that sustainable agriculture can sustain the family farm. The Jacobson’s farm organically near Wales, North Dakota, a small community 15 miles south of the Canadian border. They raise a variety of grains, range-fed beef, and sheep, which furnish wool and lambs for nearby markets. This kind of diversified farming operation provides their family with both an income and the quality of life they highly value.

The Plan that Transformed Brittany, France

2007-11-04

Traditionally it was often the case that communities relied heavily on an external approach to development and so courted firms outside of their jurisdictions which would come in to manufacture goods that in turn were exported. Today it is felt that communities should first consider internal community development, motivated by local initiatives. An approach to development, designed by local initiative and meant to develop community resources, is seen as the most likely way to attain long term success. Good projects come out of communities that know their resources and can judge their potential, and then, and only then, seek external cooperation.

The Thao Family—Growing Flowers for Market on Their Own Land

2007-11-04

The most beautiful fresh flowers and dried-floral wreaths can be purchased from Der Thao and Nikk Cha at the St. Paul Farmers’ Market. This young couple has been part of the market for over ten years, working with their parents before starting their own operation. Working 20-hour days during the growing season, Der and Nikk, both in their mid-twenties and raising four young children, have worked extraordinarily hard to make a living as small-scale farmers.

Toward New Horizons - Agriculture and Natural Resources

2007-11-04

The economy of the Northern Great Plains region of the United States and Canada is strongly linked to its primary natural resource assets —land and water. Settlement came to the northern prairies based first upon the fur trade, but development of the land for agriculture production quickly became the driving force behind the Region’s population growth and economic development. It is important to recognize that settlement and development patterns in the Region were linked to the transportation systems of the day. The Region saw rapid growth in the fur trade when trade shifted from canoes to Red River ox carts, which made possible the regular movement of raw materials (furs) out of the Region to the cities of the two nations and to the world. Agriculture development in the Region came with the railroads, which provided an efficient method of shipping grain and cattle to growing urban populations.

Toward New Horizons - Agriculture and Natural Resources

2007-11-04

Toward New Horizons - Conclusions

2007-11-04

To address issues such as environmental protection, economic development, education and training, labor qualifications and mobility, cultural diversity and preservation, and community and social stability, multi-jurisdictional or organizational collaboration–often across state, provincial and national borders–has become increasingly necessary. This often requires new institutional structures and responses. It requires changing definitions of community. And it requires the kind of vision that understands recent shifts in the global economy and how to take advantage of the opportunities that this time of change offers.

Toward New Horizons - Endnotes

2007-11-04

This document accompanies all Toward New Horizons chapters.

Toward New Horizons - Energy and Environmental

2007-11-04

Today’s energy and environmental challenges are driving fundamental changes within our transportation and economic systems. Key challenges include the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to terrorism and other threats, our dependence on fossil fuels, and the long-term risks posed by climate change and other environmental problems. However, these same challenges present enormous opportunities if the region adopts a proactive, strategic approach to planning and decision-making.

Toward New Horizons - Energy and Environmental Trends

2007-11-04

Toward New Horizons - Information Technology

2007-11-04

Information technologies are both a means and an end. IT is a powerful tool that enables us to accomplish old tasks in new ways and to invent new tasks. IT is also the apparent moving force of 21st century civilization, relentlessly inserting its methods in all sectors of our economic life as well as in our private lives. In each of the chapters that follow—transportation, agriculture, manufacturing and energy and environment—we will see how important information technologies are to crafting a response to the trends that are shaping the future of our regional economy. A broad look at the trends within the IT sector itself will serve as an introduction to the influence of IT on each of the other sectors.

Toward New Horizons - Information Technology

2007-11-04

Toward New Horizons - Introduction

2007-11-04

Increasing globalization of the world’s economy, opportunities for expanded export of food products, the North American Free Trade Agreement, and ongoing discussion regarding a Free Trade Agreement of the Americas place the heartland of North America within a new era as a geographic crossroads for international trade. In the next decade, the Northern Great Plains region will certainly need to identify and develop new export markets for its manufactured goods, shift its agricultural export focus from bulk commodities to export of food products, biofuels, or other biologically based industrial products, and provide expanded trade development services for rural businesses. But to fully participate in a growing and changing global economy, it will have to do more. In order to meet the challenges of a 21st century global economy, the Region will need to actively work to ensure that its transportation and information technologies infrastructure is capable of serving the international trade and transportation needs of the Region. And, it will need to build on its strength as a cross-border Region comprised of five states and two provinces with shared economic interests.

Toward New Horizons - Manufacturing

2007-11-04

The development of the manufacturing base in the Northern Great Plains has historically benefited from a number of factors, including an abundance of water power, proximity to various natural and mineral resources, an influx of settlers, a strong education system, and connections to multiple avenues of water and rail transportation. Today, manufacturing is a primary sector in the Northern Great Plains and underlies much of the Region’s recent economic growth.

Toward New Horizons - Manufacturing Trends

2007-11-04

Toward New Horizons - Priority Recommendations Appendix

2007-11-04

20 Priority Recommendations from Toward New Horizons.

Toward New Horizons - Transportation

2007-11-04

Transportation has long played an important role in the economic development of the Northern Great Plains. Indeed, transportation connections were a key element in the settlement of the Region. Natural transportation assets like the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, the Great Lakes, and Hudson Bay carried many of the first settlers to the NGP region and moved furs, minerals, and agricultural products to market. Later, construction of the railroads across North America enhanced the Region’s connectivity and market access, aiding the growth of the agricultural sector in particular. Today, the Northern Great Plains’ transportation system remains a significant factor in the Region’s economic development and quality of life.

Toward New Horizons: Trends in Transportation and Trade

2007-11-04

The changes we have seen during the last decade of the 20th century and ones we are likely to see during the first decade of the 21st century do not merely require us to do more of the same faster. The changes made possible by information technologies have been incremental, but cumulatively they amount to a revolution in the way we must act in the world to be successful. The transformation of every institution—transportation departments, university systems, business relationships, agricultural methods and products, international trade—is serious and ongoing.

Traceability of Agricultural Products

2007-11-04

The welfare of individual farmers is becoming less and less of an important consideration in the "New Agriculture." Budget constraints, conservation, and public opinion are having increased influence. Those farmers who grow "bulk" commodities (i.e. corn, soybeans and wheat) are facing the greatest risk with reduced government subsidies, and need to consider what alternatives are in their future. But, how does a farmer control his own destiny? This report compares and contrasts Identity Preservation and Traceability of agricultural products and offers farmer's an insight into a potential value-added market for commodity production.

Trade and Transportation Reports

2007-11-04

The "Trade and Transportation Infrastructure Investment Strategy Project" will examine in detail the current and future opportunities for regional and international trade development and correlate these opportunities with specific transportation infrastructure needs that must be met to insure that these trade opportunities can happen. This project will, in essence, provide the Northern Great Plains region (Region) with the opportunity to proactively think about its economic future and then recommend strategic actions the Region can take to ensure that healthy economic future.

Trade Patterns and the Economy of the Northern Great Plains - Executive Summary

2007-11-04

In 1994, the U.S. Congress established the Northern Great Plains Rural Development Commission to prepare a rural development strategy for the Northern Great Plains (NGP) region of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota. The Commission focused its efforts on several common issue areas including transportation infrastructure, international trade, value-added agriculture, telecommunications, and healthcare. The Commission’s work concluded in 1997 with recommendations in each of these areas, and included a call for further examination of the region’s long-term trade and transportation infrastructure strategy.

Trade Patterns and the Economy of the Northern Great Plains - Full Report

2007-11-04

What does the Northern Great Plains Regional trade picture look like? Who are the Region’s major trading partners? Historically, NGP-based commerce has been concentrated within the Region and adjacent areas of the U.S. and Canada. Today, the majority of trade associated with the Northern Great Plains still takes place among the continental trading partners—the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In fact, even with today’s emphasis on global trade, interregional continental trade continues to dominate both in weight and value. Manufactured goods such as automotive parts, electronic equipment, and processed foods are leading exports from the Region. The NGP region’s agricultural commodities comprise major portions of total U.S. and Canadian commodity production.

Transportation Facilities Database

2007-11-04

This database contains the names and addresses of nearly 2000 transportation companies in the states of Iowa, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The database is searchable by City, State, Zip Code, and Area Code.

Transportation Database

Various PowerPoint Presentations of NGP

2007-11-04

Various presentations given by NGP staff between 1999-2003.

Vegetable Processing in the Red River Valley

2007-11-04

Vegetable production in the Red River Region of Minnesota, North Dakota, and Manitoba has a long history. Potatoes and sugar beets have been well established for several years. The production and processing of these root crops is a huge and valuable economic history to the region.

What our mission is

2007-11-04

The mission of NGP Inc. is to maximize the potential of the Northern Great Plains region through regional collaboration. We accomplish this by identifying and promoting policies and practices that support an integrated approach to economic opportunity, a healthy environment and vital rural communities.

White Earth Land Recovery Project

2007-11-04

White Earth Land Recovery Project (WERLP) is working to recover the original land base of the White Earth Indian Reservation, while preserving and restoring traditional practices of sound land stewardship, language fluency, community development, and strengthening tribal members’ spiritual and cultural heritage.

Who we are

2007-11-04

Northern Great Plains Inc. is a not-for-profit research, demonstration and convening organization. NGP Inc. focuses its work on futures study, creating economic opportunity, and supporting a healthy environment and vital communities.

Worldwide Trends in Sustainable Development

2007-11-04

Dick Dawson, President, Fulcrum Associates

What does sustainability mean to the Plains farmers? What does it mean to our communities? And we spent a little time on the shift from the accent on agriculture per se to the shift on our communities. And then how do we learn to think in terms of modern sustainability, and what is modern sustainability? Well, I recorded my own learning curve on that game, and it was extraordinary because I really didn't have one. It all happened sort of by osmosis. Here we are trying to redesign a future society in a sustainable language, and yet there isn't a degree that I know of in sustainability as such. A lot of campuses are teaching sustainability principles, but nowhere do you go and get a degree in sustainability as you might in business administration or management. Not yet anyway. And yet it forces us to move in tune with the information age, the knowledge economy, whatever you like, into the language of collaborative thinking and networking thinking. We're learning that we're not very good at it. We like the old pyramids and we like the old established patterns.

Worldwide Trends in Sustainable Development

2007-11-04

Worldwide Trends in Sustainable Development

2007-11-04

Zook Family Farm

2007-11-04

Mike Zook and his family live just outside of Beach, North Dakota, on the western side of the state. With its dry climate and susceptibility to wind erosion this part of the state is a tough place to farm. To protect the land and improve his family’s income, Mike made changes in how he farmed. He switched to a no-till system that prevents his crops and soil from blowing away and keeps the small amount of rain that does fall from evaporating as soon as it hits the ground.

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