Minnesota Ag innovation campus closes after one year

By Scout Nelson

A soybean crushing plant in Crookston, Minnesota, was part of the Ag Innovation Campus, which was inaugurated in 2020 to much fanfare from agricultural professionals and government. But just a year after operations started, the facility's closure was announced by the board of directors on Monday. The decision was made after the plant's bean conditioning system sustained major fire damage in August.

"We must announce with deep regret that the operations of the Ag Innovation Campus processing plant have come to an end," the board stated.

The project was initially praised as a bold venture aimed at fostering agricultural innovation, creating jobs, and enhancing the value of agriculture. At its peak, the campus employed 18 workers, though only five remained until two weeks ago. The board has now started the process of refunding money invested in the project.

The 10-acre campus received around $5 million in state funds and private investments, with the support of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association. The facility aimed to crush over 60,000 tons of soybean meal annually and create up to 60 jobs.

Despite these efforts, the board concluded, "While our board of directors strongly believes in the AIC mission and has put in years of volunteer effort to advance the AIC mission, it has come time to bring the process to an end."

Efforts are underway to help investors recover funds, including appointing an assignee to manage the sale of campus assets. The board expressed gratitude for the community and organizations that supported the initiative. The Minnesota Soybean Growers Association declined further comment, referring to the statement on the campus website.

The closure marks a significant setback for the local economy, which had hoped to benefit from the innovative agricultural project.

Photo Credit: minnesota-soybean-growers