Layoffs hit NDSU’s Northern Crops Institute

FARGO (KVRR) – A number of employees were laid off this week from NDSU’s Northern Crops Institute.

Interim Co-Director David Boehm says the layoffs affected five full-time employees and seven hourly employees.

Boehm says for several years, the Institute grew rapidly, but over time, that growth didn’t generate the revenue necessary to cover expenses. He also says post-pandemic inflation affected operational costs.

NCI’s budget comes from appropriated funds and income generated from programs and technical services.

The Institute started in 1979 as a partnership among Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota to promote, develop, and market crops grown in the region.