Two new cutting-edge agriculture facilities were celebrated at North Dakota State University on June 12 — a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bolley Agriculture Laboratory, and a dedication ceremony and tours for the newly constructed Peltier Complex.
“Facilities like the Peltier Complex and the Bolley Agricultural Laboratory help us continue to innovate, educate, research, test, solve, and grow for the betterment of North Dakota, the region and the world,” NDSU President David Cook said. “It’s a great day for North Dakota agriculture and a great day to be a Bison.”
The Peltier Complex is a state-of-the-art agricultural facility designed to better serve NDSU students and faculty, as well as the industry in the state and the nation. The complex will bring together NDSU’s food science, cereal science and bioprocess engineering programs, as well as the Northern Crops Institute, the North Dakota Trade Office and the USDA Agricultural Research Service.
It will support research involving food and meat science, muscle biology, food safety, nutrition, and consumer sensory traits, as well as the development of new ag products.
“By bringing these programs under one roof, we are creating a unique opportunity for new synergies and collaborative activities that will lead to better solutions for North Dakota farmers and ranchers, food processors, and ultimately, for consumers worldwide,” said Greg Lardy, NDSU vice president for agriculture.
Peltiers major contributors
The complex is named after the Joe and Norma Peltier family, one of the region’s long-standing supporters of teaching, research and Extension in agriculture, who gave a naming-rights gift to support the private fundraising portion of the project.
“It is an honor and pleasure to be part of the legacy that contributed to the Peltier Complex, promoting and adding value to North Dakota Agriculture and that we can honor my dad by putting his name on the complex,” said Keith Peltier, president and CEO of Proseed Inc.
In 2021, the North Dakota Legislature approved $70 million for a new combined facility and authorized an additional $15 million in fundraising to expand and enhance research and teaching capacity at NDSU.
In addition to the Peltier family, numerous gift commitments were made by several commodity groups, alumni, businesses and friends of NDSU and the Northern Crops Institute as part of the university’s $455 million In Our Hands fundraising campaign.
The Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will serve as NDSU’s new agricultural research laboratory and will be one of the largest capital construction projects in university history, housing a variety of agricultural research programs, including plant pathology, plant breeding, weed science, agronomy, soil science and horticulture. The laboratory’s namesake, Henry L. Bolley, was one of the first faculty members at North Dakota Agricultural College, now NDSU.
“Like Bolley, our scientists who will occupy this building will deliver research results that make a difference to those involved in agriculture in North Dakota,” Lardy said. “They will develop better crop varieties for our unique climatic conditions, new solutions to challenging plant diseases, and better soil fertility and soil health management practices to improve the economic and biological sustainability of our agricultural production systems.”
The laboratory will be located on the western edge of NDSU’s campus and will overlook agricultural plots immediately adjacent to campus. It will replace many of the current field lab facilities constructed decades ago, providing NDSU scientists with the space, equipment and technology to drive innovation in several key areas related to the state’s agricultural industry and biggest economic sector.
The North Dakota Legislature appropriated $87 million for the construction of this facility during the 2023 legislative session, which has also received $3.6 million in philanthropic funds.
The North Dakota Seed Commission offered the leading gift in the public fundraising part of the project.
“The Bolley Agricultural Laboratory will have long-term positive impacts on our industry for decades to come through advancements in crop breeding, plant pathology and weed science,” said Ken Bertsch, state seed commissioner. Construction is expected to begin later this summer.
Source: North Dakota State University