North Dakota

Obituary for Philip J. Stach at Thomas Family Funeral Home

Published

10 months ago

June 12, 2025

Obituary for Philip J. Stach at Thomas Family Funeral Home

Phil Stach, 71, Minot, died unexpectedly on Sunday, June 8, 2025, in his home from complications of asthma. Celebration of Life Service 1000 a.m. Monday, June 16, 2025 at The Pursuit. Visitation Sunday, June 15, 2025 from 400 p.m. until 600 p.m. at the Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.

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North Dakota

Watford City Wrestlers Compete at 2026 USAW ND State Folkstyle Individual Tourney, Regional & National Duels

Published

2 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Watford City Wrestlers Compete at 2026 USAW ND State Folkstyle Individual Tourney, Regional & National Duels

On March 27-28, North Dakota State USA wrestling championships hosted 1700+ wrestlers at the Civic Center in Bismarck ND. Wrestlers from age 5-14 from Watford City Wolves Wrestling Club competed. “Out of 61 teams Watford City came out in 6th place and was actually sitting in first for a long time.” according to coach Adam Greenhaw. “Us coaches are…

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North Dakota

North Dakota’s Grand Farm to lead national farm tech research

Published

14 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

North Dakota’s Grand Farm to lead national farm tech research

Jeff Beach
| North Dakota Monitor

North Dakota will lead a new U.S. Department of Agriculture initiative to advance farm technology.
Grand Farm, a research campus near Fargo, will manage the national program and serve as its first proving ground.
The project will launch with $11 million in funding and initially focus on weed control in North Dakota and Georgia.

CASSELTON, N.D. — North Dakota will lead the nation in a U.S. Department of Agriculture push to improve farm technology and research, federal officials announced Tuesday.

U.S. Sen. John Hoeven, R-N.D., said Grand Farm, a research campus west of Fargo, will be the national program manager for USDA’s National Proving Grounds Network for AgTech. Grand Farm will also be the first proving ground in the network, focusing on weed control.

North Dakota launched Grand Farm seven years ago, integrating research capabilities from North Dakota State University at Fargo with industry partners such as tech giant Microsoft.

Hoeven said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, who visited Grand Farm last year, recognized that North Dakota provided a model for ag tech research and could be the manager for the rollout.

“It’s a huge deal,” Hoeven said. “It’s Grand Farm going national.”

Hoeven announced that $11 million will launch the proving grounds, a collaboration of Grand Farm, USDA’s Agricultural Research Service and NDSU.

Scott Hutchins, USDA under secretary for research, education and economics, said the first year of research will be concentrated in North Dakota and Georgia. The University of Georgia announced a partnership with Grand Farm in 2024.

He said after reviewing results from the first year, the department plans to accept proposals for research hubs in other states, eventually creating the national network.

Hutchins said profitability is a top priority. He said there has been a boom in ag technology, but farmers need help sifting through it all.

“Which one can provide the greatest return on investment?” he asked.

Hoeven said focusing on profitability is a must during rough economic times. “Right now, if you’re growing a crop, in most cases, you’re not making money,” Hoeven said.

The North Dakota Legislature invested $10 million in 2021 to help propel Grand Farm, which covers 590 acres near Casselton. Operating from tents and with portable bathrooms in its first years, the research site opened its first building in 2024. The Legislature invested an additional $7 million in 2025.

“The National Proving Grounds is the next chapter,” said Brian Carroll, chief operating officer for Grand Farm.

George Vellidis, of the University of Georgia’s Institute for Integrative Precision Agriculture, said Georgia is one year into operating its 250-acre research area similar to Grand Farm.

He said the goal is to translate the research in the Upper Midwest to crops grown in the southeast. A robot that can be taught to recognize weeds in North Dakota will have to be taught a different set of weeds that grow in Georgia, for example.

Grand Farm board member Kyle Courtney, who farms near Oakes, North Dakota, said the initiative will help field test practices “under a unified umbrella to help farmers make better decisions.”

North Dakota Monitor is part of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization.

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