Production agriculture is an important part of the North Dakota economy. North Dakota continues to work to diversify its agricultural fabric by targeting the development of value-added agriculture.

Definition of Value-Added Agriculture

Value-added agriculture is changes made to primary agriculture products (crops and livestock) that increase the product's value, thereby creating new economic activity and jobs in one of three ways:

• Process activities that create value for the product and/or introduce the product to new markets.
• Diversification and/or modification of primary agriculture products.
• Pre-production modifications that increase yields, quality and uses.

Value-added agriculture is not: on-farm production of crops and livestock; biotechnology and research and development activities focused on increasing primary agricultural production; human capital investments; agritourism; seed production; and transportation
 

Focus of Value-Added Agriculture

North Dakota's initial focus in this area is to develop local markets for biofuels and its co-products working in cooperation with:

• State agencies
• Commodity groups
• Livestock
• Bio-energy
• New and emerging crops
• Consultants of past projects
• Construction companies
• Engineering companies
• Investors

Value-Added Agriculture Fact Sheet

Food and Agriculture - When people think of North Dakota agriculture, they likely picture a field of golden wheat stretching in the sunshine or a dusty cowhand tending cattle and mending fences. We understand. North Dakota is part of the American West and we wouldn’t have it any other way.