Inside Look at the Nearly Complete Ag Innovation Campus

Crookston, MN — Just months away from being operational, the Ag Innovation Campus in Crookston invited the media on Wednesday to tour the new soybean crushing and research facility. When operational, the Ag Innovation Campus will serve as an incubator for agricultural innovations with the hope of creating new and unique products from our locally grown soybeans. Dr. Jimmy Gosse, Senior Scientist with Agricultural Utilization Research Institute and AIC Board Member, says the sky is the limit at what they will be able to produce.

The Ag Innovation Campus expects to crush and process about 8 truckloads of soybeans a day and will operate 24 hours a day. While it is much smaller compared to other large-scale soybean crushing facilities being built in North Dakota, Bill Paulsen with Energy Management Solutions, the company who staff and oversee operations of AIG, says AIC is unique in the quality of a product it will produce.

Mike Skaug, AIC Board Chair and local soybean farmer, says the quality of the soybeans is northwest is what made Crookston a natural fit for this innovative crush facility.

The Ag Innovation Campus just recently secured a major sponsorship with Farmers Union Enterprises. Skaug talks more about FUE and the importance of that partnership.

The facility, which is located on the south edge of Crookston along Highway 75 across from Titan Machinery, will employ around 20 full-time employees when it opens. Phases 2 and 3 of the AIG will more than double the current size.

Listen to the full interview with Mike Skaug, Board Chair of the Ag Innovation Campus below:

Bill Paulsen, Energy Management Solutions:

Dr. Jimmy Gosse, Senior Scientist with AURI