The North Dakota Mill and Elevator is the largest
flour mill
A gristmill (also: grist mill, corn mill, flour mill, feed mill or feedmill) grinds cereal grain into flour and middlings. The term can refer to either the grinding mechanism or the building that holds it. Grist is grain that has been separated ...
in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It is located in the city of
Grand Forks, North Dakota. Established by the state government when it was led by
Nonpartisan League
The Nonpartisan League (NPL) was a left-wing political party founded in 1915 in North Dakota by Arthur C. Townley, a former organizer for the Socialist Party of America. On behalf of small farmers and merchants, the Nonpartisan League advocat ...
representatives, it is the only
state-owned milling facility in the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. It is overseen by the
North Dakota Industrial Commission, whose members are all public officers elected by popular vote.
History
The North Dakota Mill and Elevator Association started operations on October 22, 1922. The facility was built by the state as a way of bypassing what many area
wheat
Wheat is a grass widely cultivated for its seed, a cereal grain that is a worldwide staple food. The many species of wheat together make up the genus ''Triticum'' ; the most widely grown is common wheat (''T. aestivum''). The archaeologi ...
farmers considered unfair business practices on the part of the railroads and milling facilities in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. Immigrants especially felt that they were disadvantaged by the actions of major capitalists in the big cities.
In the early 1900s, the flour mills and grain exchange in Minneapolis were the primary wheat markets for North Dakotan farmers and elevators. After freight costs to Minneapolis were deducted from Minneapolis market prices, North Dakotan farmers received a low price for their wheat. The North Dakota Mill was established by the
Nonpartisan League
The Nonpartisan League (NPL) was a left-wing political party founded in 1915 in North Dakota by Arthur C. Townley, a former organizer for the Socialist Party of America. On behalf of small farmers and merchants, the Nonpartisan League advocat ...
leaders, which then controlled the state government, to help solve this problem and benefit local farmers.
The North Dakota Mill facilities include seven milling units, a terminal elevator and a packing warehouse to prepare bagged products for shipment. The Mill's offerings include not only flour, but also newer products such as
bread machine
A bread making machine or breadmaker is a home appliance for baking bread. It consists of a bread pan (or "tin"), at the bottom of which are one or more built-in paddles, mounted in the center of a small special-purpose oven. This small oven is ...
mixes, pancake mixes, and organic wheat products.
See also
*
Nonpartisan League
The Nonpartisan League (NPL) was a left-wing political party founded in 1915 in North Dakota by Arthur C. Townley, a former organizer for the Socialist Party of America. On behalf of small farmers and merchants, the Nonpartisan League advocat ...
References
Other sources
* Morlan, Robert L. (1955) ''Political Prairie Fire: The Nonpartisan League, 1915-1922'' (Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press)
* Lipset, Seymour M. (1971) ''Agrarian Socialism'' (Berkeley: University of California Press)
External links
North Dakota Mill and Elevator website
Companies based in North Dakota
Food and drink companies established in 1922
Grain elevators in the United States
Flour mills in the United States
Towers in North Dakota
State agencies of North Dakota
Government-owned companies of the United States
Grinding mills on the National Register of Historic Places in North Dakota
National Register of Historic Places in Grand Forks, North Dakota
1922 establishments in North Dakota
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