In the state’s agricultural sector, Agristo’s decision to set up shop in Grand Forks is universally expected to be a boon for North Dakota’s potato industry and the region’s economy, writes Hannah Shirley in a news story published by the Grand Forks Herald.

For Tom Nilson, a potato farmer from Hoople, North Dakota, partnering with Agristo requires something of a leap of faith. He’s bet the farm on it, so to speak.

At Nilson Farms and throughout the region, planning is well underway for the Belgian potato giant Agristo to break ground on a processing plant north of Grand Forks. The facility — the company’s first in the U.S. — will process Red River Valley potatoes to be sold as frozen retail products such as french fries and hashbrowns at major chains like Walmart.

Nilson, a potato farmer working on his family’s generational lands, is one of44 local growers the company has so far partnered with.

He says it will profoundly change the way he operates his business. He’s confident the partnership with Agristo will be a positive one — both for his business and the region. Still, the new venture is nerve-wracking.

Source: Grand Forks Herald. Full story here
Image: From left, Brad, Tom and Keith Nilson are photographed with Agristo seed potatoes at their Hoople, North Dakota, farm, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025. Credit Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald