Fosston and Crookston receive $1.4 million in DEED grants

Detroit Lakes, Minn. (KDLM) – The cities of Fosston and Crookston with be receiving a combined $1.4 million in state infrastructure grants from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development.

According to a Wednesday news release, the agency announced Fosston will be receiving $960,460 from DEED’s Greater Minnesota Business Development Public Infrastructure Grant Program (BDPI). The grant will assist with constructing streets and utilities to expand the town’s industrial park.

The expansion is expected to draw in up to four additional businesses to the area, including Great Northern Ingredients, a food manufacturer, and bring an additional 100 workers to Fosston. The city estimates the taxable value of those properties to increase by $5.7 million within the next five years.

The agency also awarded the city of Crookston $452,000 from DEED’s Innovative Business Development Public Infrastructure Program (IBDPI) to assist with constructing streets and utilities to the Ag Innovation Campus (AIC), a specialty soybean crush facility.

Ag innovation Campus will also research higher-quality specialty soybeans as well as new strains of oil seed crops. AIC has committed to invest $30 million in the facility and that will create about new 40 jobs. 

In the news release, DEED Commissioner Matt Varilek stated: “Public infrastructure grants like these help foster economic development in communities throughout Minnesota. We’re excited these grants will help Fosston and Crookston create and retain good-paying jobs.”