Dakota Pride Cooperative has more than 200 member-producers with 15,000 acres available for identity-preserved production and the ability to expand acreage. Members are currently growing hard white spring wheat, but we are always looking to expand our diversity in crop varieties. Growers are paid a premium above the futures market for their crops.

In conjunction with the North Dakota Mill and Elevator in Grand Forks, Dakota Pride Cooperative has grown over 12,000 acres of white wheat for the Mill’s White Wheat Program. Growers are paid a premium above the red spring wheat futures price for growing hard white spring wheat. This program was developed to give producers an added edge with a premium price and the ability to keep their wheat growing processes the same as before.

Growers share in the benefit of an identity-preserved crop with the end user and other member-producers. Dakota Pride Cooperative offers traceability of each crop’s identity from producer to food manufacturer.

To become a co-op member and grower, fill out a membership application or contact Executive Director Travis Bruner at 701-626-2070, tbruner@dakotapride.coop.

Sharing His Story...

Soybean producer Dave Teigen of Rugby, N.D., has had the rare opportunity to see just how his soybeans ended up as tofu. Several years ago, Teigen traveled to Japan as part of a Dakota Pride Cooperative trip to visit customers and build foreign relationships. During the Japanese tour, Teigen noticed that they were using the soybeans out of the container shipped over from Identity Ag Processing in Casselton. He said, “When you dump grain out at the elevator, you usually don’t get the opportunity to see the end product. It was kind of neat to be part of the food chain.”

Teigen raises about 500 acres of non-GMO soybeans each year. “The process is easy. It’s just a little bit different way of growing beans with a different chemical mix,” Teigen said. “You have to make sure that your machinery is clean and there’s no contamination. I definitely recommend it to all growers.”

When you contract to grow grains and oilseeds for Dakota Pride Cooperative, we guarantee our growers will:

 

  • Identify the exact needs of the customer.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
  • Use pure quality seed.
  • Ensure cooperative sources are registered and certified seed is used to maintain purity.
  • Purchase seed from cooperative or growers established by cooperative.
  • Select fields for planting that will be isolated from contamination and proper rotation from previous crops.
  • Seed in agronomic conditions to ensure the least potential for contamination.
  • Carry on good practices to achieve the best quality product.
  • Clean the harvesting equipment and storage to ensure purity.
  • Pull samples to determine grades.
  • Ensure shipping and handling is done by the cooperative.