"WOOLY BOYS" SCREENING PLANNED IN SAN FRANCISCO

As the final event of the 2001 California marketing campaign that began last spring, ED&F; will host a high-profile San Francisco screening of "Wooly Boys," the first major motion picture filmed in North Dakota.

The screening of the feature-length film will take place Nov. 3. Executive producer and Fargo native Ken Promersberger and actors Kris Kristofferson, Peter Fonda, Keith Carradine, Joe Mazzello, and Robin Dearden have been invited. N.D. Gov. John Hoeven hopes to attend.

ED&F; is working with alumni associations to invite North Dakotans living and working in the Bay area to the screening.

"We began this campaign with the goal of having a presence in northern California," said Lee Peterson, N.D. Department of Commerce commissioner. "We believe we have succeeded in that effort. Now we want to establish and nurture relationships with the kinds of targeted companies we know would be a good match with North Dakota."

ND NETS $1.9 MILLION FOR AG PROMOTION

North Dakota will receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture block grant totaling nearly $1.9 million to promote specialty crops and value-added agriculture projects in the state.

Specialty crops include potatoes, dry beans, vegetables, and other products that diversify North Dakota agriculture.

The grant is part of a $5.5-billion agriculture disaster-aid bill sponsored by U.S. Rep. Larry Combest (R-Texas) and signed into law by President Bush in August.

"This grant, combined with the $1.7 million we received in USDA value-added market development grants recently, adds up to $3.6 million for innovative agricultural initiatives," said N.D. Gov. John Hoeven. "We're finally getting real leverage in our efforts to find new products, new markets, and new value-added opportunities for North Dakota agriculture."

Hoeven allocated most of the money -- $700,000 -- to the Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC), a broadly representative, nine-member state panel that awards competitive grants for agricultural marketing, research, diversification, and new-product development projects.

"We want to see the best ideas in the specialty-crop industry compete on a level playing field for this money, with the most innovative and promising projects given priority," Hoeven said. "Distributing much of the grant money through APUC is one way to make sure that happens."

The balance of the $1.9 million will be awarded to the N.D. Department of Agriculture and to specialty-crop organizations.

Allocation of $1.9-million USDA block grant

• $ 700,000 Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC)
• $ 375,000 Red River Valley Potato Growers Association
• $ 375,000 N.D. Dry Bean Council
• $ 150,000 N.D. Department of Agriculture marketing division
• $ 100,000 State Board of Agriculture Research and Education
• $ 80,000 Dry Pea and Lentil Council
• $ 40,000 Value-Added Agriculture Promotion Board
• $ 30,000 Commercial Vegetable Growers of N.D.
• $ 30,000 State Veterinarian (for education program and emergency livestock-handling equipment)

Allocation of USDA Value-Added Market Development grant received recently

• $ 500,000 Golden Plains Frozen Foods
• $ 500,000 Spring Wheat Bakers
• $ 487,708 Dakota Halal Processing Company
• $ 144,000 Dakota Lamb Growers Cooperative
• $ 91,850 Dakota Beef Cooperative

DOC FOUNDATION HOLDS FIRST MEETING

The state Department of Commerce (DOC) Foundation held its first meeting Sept. 24 in Bismarck.

The DOC and its Foundation were mandated by the 2001 Legislature. Foundation members are appointed to two-year terms by the governor to advise him in selecting future DOC commissioners, and to counsel the DOC commissioner.

The Foundation is also charged with developing a strategic plan for economic and value-added agriculture development, and with monitoring DOC initiatives. By statute, the group must include a cross-section of business, tourism, and economic development interests, and at least one member must represent rural concerns.

The first Foundation meeting was taken up with organizational housekeeping as the group created three subcommittees.

• The Policies subcommittee will draft the rules by which the Foundation will govern itself.
• The Fundraising subcommittee will set guidelines for seeking private funding for DOC activities. Under state law, some activities involved with economic development, such as "courting" out-of-state businesses, cannot be funded with taxpayer dollars.
• The Strategic Planning subcommittee will develop plans for economic development and value-added ag activities.

At the meeting, the Foundation also chose its executive committee:
• Bob Lamont, Minot, Lamont & Skowronek Law Firm: chair
• Elaine Fremling, Fargo, Northwestern: vice chair
• Duaine Espegard, Grand Forks, secretary
• Ron Harper, Bismarck, Basin Electric Power Cooperative
• Marlowe Johnson, Jamestown, Ottertail Power Company
• Shirley Montgomery, Fargo, F-M Area Foundation
• Mike Swenson, Fargo, Xcel Energy

Other Foundation members include the following (at least one more member remains to be appointed):

• Jack Hoeven, Minot, First Western Bank & Trust
• Chuck Hoge, West Fargo, Bobcat
• Frank Keogh, Williston, American State Bank
• Guy Moos, Dickinson, Baker Boy
• Harold Newman, Jamestown, Newman Signs
• Bruce Thom, Fargo, Varistar Corporation
• Martin White, Bismarck, MDU Resources

The Foundation plans to meet monthly for at least several months, and has tentatively planned the next meeting for Oct. 18.

DOC OPEN HOUSE SET FOR OCT. 30

For the first time since the Department of Commerce was created, all of its divisions will be housed at the same place in Bismarck: 400 East Broadway, Suite 50 (the lower level of the Wells Fargo Bank building downtown).

The DOC will hold an open house Tuesday, Oct. 30, to familiarize the public and stakeholders with the services they provide. From 3-6 p.m., DOC staff from the Community Services, Economic Development and Finance, Tourism, and Workforce Development divisions will offer tours, refreshments, hors d'oeuvres, and door prizes.

For more information, contact Sue Kobilansky at [email protected], 701-328-2819.

NEW ED&F; STAFF

John Schneider has been named executive director of the Agricultural Products Utilization Commission (APUC). He grew up near Rugby and has a B.S. in economics from NDSU. John was executive director of economic development in Harvey, N.D. for eight years. "Coming from a rural area and having worked as an economic developer in a rural area, I'm excited about working with the state to increase crop diversity and value-added crops," he says.

Jeff Quast was recently hired as a research analyst. The native North Dakotan received an associate degree in computer programming from the N.D. State College of Science in 1986. He worked at ReliaStar Insurance (Provident Life) for seven years, and for the past six years has been the data processing coordinator for the N.D. Parks and Recreation Department. Jeff has been a member of the state GIS technical committee since its inception in 1996.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"The work ethic and productivity of employees in North Dakota is outstanding, and the quality of life can't be beat!" (Ronald Robson, regional president, US Bank)

ED&F; MISSION

"To provide strategic direction and quality products and services that stimulate and support local economic growth and diversity."

ED&F; STAFF LISTING

• Lee Peterson, Department of Commerce Commissioner 328.5300
• Linda Butts, ED&F; Director 328.5342
• Sheila Auch, Administrative Assistant 328.5310
• Celeste Engelhard, Account/Budget Specialist 328.5306
• Chuck Fine, Senior Project Manager 328.5331
• Cory Finneman, Research Vice President 328.5328
• Cornelius Grant, Rural Development Council Director 328.5313
• Bob Gruman, ND Development Fund Consultant 328.5308
• Jim Hirsch, Workforce Development Director 328.5345
• Tara Holt, Women's Business Program Director 328.5885
• Leigh Ann Huether, Research Analyst 328.5336
• Tracy Metzger, Marketing Vice President 328.5352
• Nancy Miller, Administrative Assistant 328.5312
• Sandy Opp, Project Manager 328.5338
• Kelly Potts, ND Development Fund Credit Officer 328.5349
• Jeff Quast, Research Analyst 328.5323
• Dean Reese, ND Development Fund/Rural Fund CEO 328.5334
• Brad Rosenfeldt, Computer Network Specialist 328.5362
• Inez Ryberg, Agricultural Products Utilization Commission Administrative Assistant 328.5318
• John Schneider, Agricultural Products Utilization Commission Executive Director 328.5350
• Randy Schwartz, Manufacturing Extension Partnership Director 328.5314
• LaVonne Stair, Office Manager 328.5317
• Mike Strotheide, Business Development Vice President 328.5322
• Laura Willard, Project Manager 328.5337