Center of Excellence approves MSU-B grant
By ANDREA JOHNSON, Staff Writer, ajohnson@minotdailynews.comBOTTINEAU Minot State University-Bottineau received approval from the state Centers of Excellence Commission Wednesday to move forward with its Entrepreneurial Center for Horticulture.
The two-year college must still receive approval from three other agencies: the North Dakota Economic Development Board on Sept. 8; the State Board of Higher Education on Sept. 11 and the state government's budget secion on Sept. 25, said Ken Grosz, executive dean.
The Centers of Excellence grant is for $400,000. If approved, the center will simulate organic and specialty vegetable production in the region. The grant will pay for demonstration sites on campus and in the region. People will learn what vegetables they can grow, how to extend the growing season through use of specialty greenhouses such as a high tunnel greenhouse. They will learn how to heat a greenhouse efficiently, using such things as wind or bio-mass or solar power. Staff will conduct seminars, workshops and other forms of outreach. Another large component of the project is putting together marketing and distribution for organic and specialty projects in the area.
The college's private partners for the Centers of Excellence project include North Star Organic Farms in Carpio, the North Dakota Farmers Market and Growers Association, and the International Peace Garden. The college has also received grant funding from the Bottineau Economic Development Corporation and Center of North America Coalition.
If all goes well, Grosz said they could start putting up greenhouses next spring.
