A recap of recent events and happenings in the administration of Gov. Armstrong and Lt. Gov. Strinden
September 5, 2025
Strinden highlights benefits as Grand Forks signs agreement with potato processor Agristo
Lt. Gov. Michelle Strinden attended the Taste of Belgium in Grand Forks, a celebration hosted by Agristo and the City of Grand Forks around the announcement of a development agreement between the city and potato processor.
Representatives from Agristo and city officials signed a development agreement to bring the company’s expertise to Grand Forks — its first facility in North America. Agristo is expected to break ground on the north side of Grand Forks later this year, with construction beginning in 2026.
The $450 million potato processing plant is scheduled to start production in the fall of 2028, marking a major milestone in Agristo’s international expansion.
Last spring, the state Legislature overwhelmingly passed, and Armstrong signed, House Bill 1332 providing up to $30 million to incentivize large ag projects like Agristo. The governor had proposed the funding for value-added agriculture projects in his executive budget recommendation.
Agristo will help expand North Dakota's potato industry and markets for potato growers, Strinden noted.
"The more we can process our raw commodities right here at home, the less we need to rely on foreign markets," she said. "It’s better for potato growers and consumers alike. And it’s better for North Dakota as a whole, which is why this project has received strong support from our administration and the state Legislature."
Agristo, a leading Belgian potato processing company, specializes in producing a wide range of frozen potato products, including fries, potato specialties and appetizers. With a reputation for innovation, sustainable practices and global distribution, the company supplies both retail and food service markets worldwide. Founded in 1983, Agristo has six branches across Belgium, The Netherlands, France and India.
Armstrong requests presidential major disaster declaration for damage from severe August storms
Gov. Armstrong requested a presidential major disaster declaration for severe storms in early August that caused roughly $6 million in damage to electrical infrastructure and also damaged homes, businesses and farms.
In a letter to President Donald Trump and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Armstrong asked the president to declare a major disaster for the Aug. 7-8 storm system covering Barnes, Grand Forks, Griggs, Kidder, Nelson, Steele and Stutsman counties.
“The system caused extensive damage to homes, businesses, agriculture, and electrical infrastructure, while widespread power outages and debris added to the burden on communities as they worked to respond and recover from the event,” Armstrong stated in the request. “The hardships created by these severe storms pushed many emergency management offices beyond their capacity, forcing them to juggle response, recovery, and resource coordination under immense pressure.”
The storms produced tornadoes, large hail and destructive winds of 70 to 100 mph, knocking out power to more than 16,000 residents across south-central and eastern North Dakota.
The request follows a statewide disaster declaration issued by Armstrong on Sept. 2. If granted, the presidential declaration would make FEMA funding available to help with recovery costs including repairs to power lines and other utility infrastructure. Electrical infrastructure damage alone is reported at nearly $6 million.
A separate request for a presidential major disaster declaration for June 20-21 storm damage is still pending. The storms spawned more than 20 tornadoes, resulting in four storm-related deaths and causing more than $11 million in damage to public infrastructure as well as significant damage to utilities, grain bins, homes and other private property. That request covers 19 counties: Barnes, Burleigh, Cass, Eddy, Emmons, Foster, Grant, Griggs, Kidder, McLean, Morton, Oliver, Ransom, Sheridan, Sioux, Steele, Stutsman, Traill and Wells.
Armstrong appoints longtime public health leader Sherry Adams to serve as State Health Officer
Gov. Armstrong announced the appointment of Sherry Adams, administrator and CEO of the Southwestern District Health Unit, to serve as North Dakota’s next State Health Officer, effective Sept. 15, citing her extensive background in public health and emergency response.
“Sherry brings a wealth of experience to the role of State Health Officer, and our citizens will be well-served by her deep knowledge and understanding of public health and emergency response,” Armstrong said. “We’re thrilled to bring her expertise, passion and trusted voice to this key role as we continue working to make North Dakota the healthiest state in the nation.”
Adams is a registered sanitarian and environmental health specialist who began working in public health in 2004 and has led the Dickinson-based Southwestern District Health Unit since 2009, overseeing 35 staff across eight counties. She has worked in emergency preparedness and response for 21 years and is certified by the state and Federal Emergency Management Agency as an incident command instructor.
As state health officer, Adams will be a member of the governor’s Cabinet, advising on issues affecting public health. The state health officer’s statutory duties include providing strategy and policy advice to improve health and wellness, advising local public health officials, promoting the development of local health services and preventing the spread of communicable diseases. Adams will continue to serve in her current role with Southwestern District Health Unit while fulfilling her duties as state health officer on a part-time basis.
“I am deeply honored and grateful for the opportunity to serve as North Dakota's State Health Officer,” Adams said. “I am grateful for the trust placed in me and am committed to working collaboratively with our communities, health care partners, and state leadership to protect and promote the health and well-being of all North Dakotans. Together, we will build on the state’s strong foundation to address current challenges and advance a healthier future for all the citizens of North Dakota.”
Adams joined the state’s Emergency Management Support Team as a safety officer in 2009 and became an incident commander in 2012. She has responded to numerous incidents in North Dakota including the Dickinson tornado and H1N1 flu pandemic in 2009 and major floods in 2009 and 2011. She served as a local incident commander, state planning chief and lead testing coordinator for local public health units during the COVID pandemic. Adams has served on the State Association for Local and County Health Units executive committee for five years, as vice chair, chair and now past president. She also has assisted with volcano and hurricane response in Hawaii and taught incident command in Ghana, Togo and Benin, Africa.
Below is an opinion column by Gov. Kelly Armstrong
Armstrong: West-to-east natural gas pipeline will help unlock potential of ND communities
Members of the Industrial Commission recently voted to begin contract discussions with WBI Energy Transmission for the state to purchase transport capacity on a proposed natural gas pipeline that would run from McKenzie County in the heart of the Bakken to Mapleton and Ellendale in southeastern North Dakota.
Whoever said “you can never have too much of a good thing” likely never faced a dilemma like the one we have with natural gas in North Dakota.
On one hand, we have communities that need natural gas to grow and support economic development but have no way of getting it.
On the other hand, natural gas production in western North Dakota continues to set records as the Bakken matures, with no large-scale pipeline to move this stranded asset from west to east.
Fortunately, a solution is within reach.
The North Dakota Industrial Commission recently took a crucial step toward bridging the natural gas gap between east and west.
We voted to begin contract discussions with WBI Energy Transmission for the state to purchase transport capacity on a proposed natural gas pipeline that would run from McKenzie County in the heart of the Bakken to Mapleton and Ellendale in southeastern North Dakota.
This is no small commitment: To support WBI building the pipeline, the state would backstop up to $50 million of pipeline capacity per year for up to 10 years, for a possible investment of $500 million. As WBI secures commitments from private businesses to use the natural gas — and they’re already lining up — the state will transfer its pipeline space to those businesses.
In short, we’re taking an excess energy product that’s stranded in the Bakken and moving it across the state to people who need it.
That means a cheaper source of power and heat for homeowners and businesses in our communities as they look to grow their economies.
It means oil producers can maintain and increase their output, versus having to curtail production to stay within state goals for reducing the flaring of natural gas at the wellhead.
And it means the abundant oil and gas tax revenues that support everything in North Dakota from schools, hospitals and highways to airports, tax relief and the Legacy Fund, will continue to flow into state coffers for decades to come. Since 2015, the state has collected more than $22.7 billion in oil and gas tax revenue.
As I said in my first State of the State address in January: For as valuable as natural gas is, it’s actually a detriment to our state budget because it limits our ability to grow. To reduce flaring and increase oil production, we need to move our gas, and we must work with industry to build out pipeline infrastructure.
The Commission's vote sends a strong signal to the private sector that North Dakota is open for business and serious about offloading our natural gas. We appreciate the current Legislative Assembly authorizing the $50 million per year, expanding on a similar proposal from the 2023 session.
This comes at an exciting time for our economy, with major projects in the agriculture and technology sectors proposed or coming online in North Dakota, including value-added processing plants and data centers.
One need they all have in common is power. And with this west-to-east pipeline, North Dakota will be even better positioned to meet that demand — helping our communities reach their full potential and paving the way for a more prosperous and energy-secure future for our citizens.
State Investment Board selects Funston for first governance review
The North Dakota State Investment Board (SIB) has selected Funston Advisory Services LLC (FAS) to conduct the first-ever comprehensive assessment of its governance model, the framework that defines how the board operates, makes decisions, and oversees the Retirement and Investment Office (RIO) to ensure accountability and resilience.
“Undertaking a governance review underscores the State Investment Board’s commitment to fiduciary excellence, transparency, and long-term operational success,” said Gov. Armstrong, SIB chair. “As our investment program grows in size and complexity, we are committed to managing it as efficiently and effectively as possible.”
FAS will evaluate the investment program’s governance framework to ensure it supports the SIB’s core goals. The review will focus on compliance with applicable laws, governance structure and oversight responsibilities, board culture, operational clarity, board–staff relations, risk oversight, and identifying opportunities for improved efficiency through streamlined documentation.
“Strong governance is foundational to managing public funds responsibly,” said Dr. Rob Lech, SIB vice chair and chair of the board’s Governance and Policy Review Committee. “The review will help clarify roles and responsibilities, enhance decision-making processes, strengthen our risk oversight, and ensure that the governance model we follow is not only effective today but is ready for the future.”
Guided by legal counsel, the SIB began developing a governance structure in 1995 to clarify fiduciary responsibilities within state law and trust principles. The board adopted a policy-based governance model known as the Carver Model that defined the roles and delegations between the SIB and RIO. At that time, the SIB oversaw $1 billion in assets. While the board’s foundational policies have been refined over the years, it has never undergone an independent governance assessment. The SIB now oversees more than $24 billion in assets, including the North Dakota Legacy Fund, Public Employees Retirement System, and Teachers’ Fund for Retirement. Its activities are administered by RIO.
“Acting now allows the State Investment Board to proactively shape its governance model while internal changes are being implemented, ensuring that any new structure is sustainable, strategic, and fully integrated,” said Jodi A. Smith, RIO executive director.
One recent program change is RIO’s launch of an Internal Investment Initiative in April, shifting the management of 15% of the SIB’s portfolio in-house. The initiative aims to strengthen oversight, reduce external management costs, and build internal investment capacity.
FAS is nationally recognized for advising public funds on governance, operations, and risk intelligence.
North Dakota ranked the hardest-working state in the nation by WalletHub
North Dakota is the hardest-working state, in part because it has the third-highest employment rate in the country, at nearly 98%. Plus, North Dakota workers ages 16 to 64 work an average of 39.6 hours per week – the fourth-most in the country, according to a WalletHub report released just before Labor Day.
To top things off, both adults and young people stay busy in North Dakota. The state has the seventh-lowest share of households where no adults work, and the second-lowest share of people ages 18 to 24 with no degree beyond a high school diploma who are not in school and not working.
In order to determine where the hardest-working Americans live, WalletHub compared the 50 states across two key dimensions: “Direct Work Factors” such as average workweek hours, employment rate and share of engaged workers, and “Indirect Work Factors" such as average commute time, workers with multiple jobs and leisure time.
IN OTHER NEWS
Gov. Armstrong visited newly built Minot North High School to see its new CTE programs and tour the Minot Area Workforce Academy.
Gov. Armstrong welcomed the Honorable Steven A. Lautt on his investiture at the Ward County Courthouse in Minot. Judge Lautt will serve the citizens of the North Central Judicial District.
Lt. Gov. Strinden helped in celebrating indigenous agriculture at the FARMS to Table event, a showcase of the ag-related programming happening within North Dakota's tribal colleges.
Lt. Gov. Strinden welcomed ND DECA members to the 2nd annual Capital City Invitational hosted by Mandan DECA. Participants practiced role-plays to solve real-world marketing challenges and job interviews as a practice round for future competitions.
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