ND Department of Agriculture Press Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE MARCH 24, 2008

NEW BROCHURE HAS THE FACTS ON NORTH DAKOTA AGRICULTURE

BISMARCK– North Dakota’s number one ranking in the production of wheat and 15 other commodities is highlighted in “North Dakota Agriculture 2007,” newly published by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture (NDDA).

“We call this ‘a snapshot of agriculture’ in our state,” said Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson at a Monday news conference. “The department uses this publication to help people understand how important agriculture is to North Dakota and how important North Dakota agriculture is to the nation.”

"North Dakota agriculture literally grows new wealth from the ground up,” said Robert Carlson, president of North Dakota Farmers Union. “The emergence of renewable energy and carbon credit programs, along with healthy farm income overall, is generating economic activity that is being felt in rural communities and North Dakota's largest cities."

The new booklet features North Dakota’s top agricultural commodities and agricultural exports, the state’s ranking in 23 commodities, a summary of where the food dollar goes, some of the many uses for North Dakota’s agricultural commodities and many more agricultural facts and statistics.

New to this year’s booklet is a section devoted to renewable energy – ethanol, biodiesel and wind power.

“North Dakota has made considerable progress in renewable energy production,” Johnson said. “We have our first, full-scale biodiesel plant, several new ethanol plants and new wind farms with still more on the way. We believe that bio-energy will be a larger part of North Dakota agriculture and that the energy produced here will play a major role in our nation’s energy future.”

The full-color booklet is illustrated with color photographs, some of them are prize-winning entries in the 2008 North Dakota Department of Agriculture Photo Contest.

NDDA releases the brochure every year during National Agriculture Week.

“Even in North Dakota, we need to remind ourselves of the tremendous role agriculture plays in our lives,” Johnson said. “As a state, North Dakota owes its very existence to agriculture, and farmers and ranchers continue to play a vital role in maintaining the quality of life we enjoy.”

Copies of “North Dakota Agriculture 2008” are available from the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, 600 E. Boulevard Ave., Dept. 602, Bismarck, ND  58505-0020; ndda@nd.gov. The brochure can also be viewed at and downloaded from the NDDA web site, www.agdepartment.com (click on “News,” then “Agricultural Statistics”).

“North Dakota Agriculture 2008” is sponsored by the North Dakota Department of Agriculture, the North Dakota Agricultural Statistics Service and the North Dakota Farmers Union.

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MEDIA: For more information, please call Ted Quanrud at (701) 328-2233 or tquanrud@nd.gov or Patrice Lahlum at (701) 239-7210 or plahlum@nd.gov.