The first construction phase on the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston has been completed. The non-profit crush and research facility continues to stay on track and move closer to its 2022 production goal. Members of the Ag Innovation Campus board, along with project manager Jim Lambert, Chair of the Ag Innovation Campus Project Mike Skaug, and CEO of Ag Management Solutions Tom Slunecka, visited the Polk County Board of Commissioners this morning to discuss the purpose of the project, and brief the board of commissioners on the progress.
Tom Slunecka, CEO of Ag Management Solutions, discussed the progress and said he’s delighted with the work that’s been accomplished. “It’s been a blessing for us to get as far as we have with all the difficulties in the world today,” said Slunecka. “We couldn’t be more excited about having the dirt work completed, the building ordered, and all the equipment ready to go once the building is up.”
Slunecka was also able to discuss one of the biggest advantages of having the new facility. “In the world, being able to go in and see a crush facility run is extremely rare,” said Slunecka. “There are a lot of reasons for that. This plant will be custom-built specifically to serve that purpose, and it will drive international sales from soybeans from this region, and while it’s hard to see for sure what that impact will be, it will be big.”
The project’s first phase is dedicated to the crush plant, while phases two and three will focus on the office structure. Once completed, the facility will bring in 60 full-time jobs and create an estimated $27.8 million in revenue every year. When the entire project is finished, the facility’s square footage will be 165 feet wide by 430 feet long. According to Project Manager Jim Lambert, all the necessary permits have been completed to keep the project moving forward.
Chair of the project Mike Skaug discussed the primary goal and another reason the project is unlike any other in the world. “It’s going to be a non-profit project,” said Skaug. “With that, we will be able to return our profits into other research projects in the form of grants. By doing this will also be able to promote more things that can be made from plant oils. It will be a win for everyone involved.”
The facility is designed to crush 240 tons of soybeans per day. This is approximately seven trucks into the facility and seven trucks out of the facility each day. Project Manager Jim Lambert said the facility’s location has to do with Crookston being a part of a region that already produces specialty crops. “Crookston was selected for several reasons. The farming community in Polk County and this part of a state as a whole understands how to preserve their soybeans,” said Lambert. “So that was a big driving force of putting the Ag Innovation Campus here in Crookston.”
Due to Covid and the rising costs of materials and supplies, the project’s estimated cost has increased by over 50%. However, Skaug said this has not affected the timeline of operations. “We’re doing the project in three phases,” said Skaug. “The first phase is the construction of the processing plant, and as people are aware, we have done the groundwork for that phase and will get started on the construction of that in 2022.”
Another reason for the Ag Innovation Board of Directors to visit the Board of Commissioners was to see if money could be donated to help cover the project’s cost. Polk County Administrator Chuck Whiting discussed how the county might be able to help. “They are looking for some financial help from us, but I asked them to make more of a formal request so that we can see what they’re asking for,” said Whiting. “That will help us determine if we have the money to spend on it, and we may even look at if the American Relief Funds could be used for that project. So will have to wait and see.”
The plan is to have phases two and three be completed sometime after the full completion of phase one, and the hope is to have the project wrapped up sometime in the next two to three years. Delivery times for materials continue to be a concern, as steel is roughly 8-9 months out from the time it is ordered.
To learn more about the Ag Innovation Campus vision, visit aginnovationcampus.org.
