HB 1276 Summary

• Creates an agriculture infrastructure grant program administered by the agriculture commission in consultation with the department of transportation to support value-added agriculture businesses.

• Authorizes grants up to $1.25 million per project (or 80% of infrastructure costs) for road and bridge improvements on county and township roads, and grants up to $350,000 per project (or 80% of costs) for water, sewer, electrical, and gas supply improvements.

• Appropriates $25,000,000 from the general fund to the agriculture diversification and development fund during the 2023-2025 biennium, with up to $10,000,000 available for infrastructure grants to political subdivisions.

• Modifies the agriculture diversification and development fund to allow moneys to be appropriated to the agriculture commissioner on a continuing basis for grants under the new infrastructure program, in addition to existing Bank of North Dakota loans.

• Specifies that grant funding cannot be used for routine maintenance or operating costs and defines eligible value-added agriculture businesses as food processing, feed processing, commodity processing, agricultural manufacturers, and animal agriculture production facilities.