Ag Companies Earn Automate ND Grants

The North Dakota Development Fund received $5 million in American Rescue Plan funding to create a grant program to address workforce shortages. A handful of agriculture companies have received money from the Automate ND program. That list includes the Dairy Dozen of Milner, which received a $500,000 grant for a milking robot, automated manure collector and automated feed pusher. Agri-Cover of Jamestown received $283,000 for robot arms and autonomous carts for the production of roll-up and hard covers for trucks. Richardton-based Amber Waves received $142,000 to automate a wash bay for its hopper bottom grain bins. A $28,500 grant went to Blue Flint Ethanol of Underwood to automate the ethanol production process.