The Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation in North Dakota is set to build one of the country’s largest greenhouse complexes, enabling the tribe to grow much of its own food after their land was flooded by a federal dam decades ago. The 3.3-acre greenhouse, part of the Native Green Grow operation, will initially focus on growing leafy greens, tomatoes, and strawberries. The tribe plans to spend $76 million on the project, with the goal of eventually expanding to 14.5 acres. The greenhouse will have enough glass to cover the equivalent of seven football fields and is expected to produce up to 15 million pounds of food annually.
The project aims to address the challenge of access to fresh produce in the area, serving not only the Fort Berthold reservation but also other reservations and food banks in the region. Additionally, the tribe plans to export its produce. The effort reflects a national trend of tribes investing in food sovereignty, spurred by disruptions in the food supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The MHA Nation’s greenhouse plans are made possible by access to potable water and natural gas resources. The tribe intends to capture and compress natural gas from the Bakken oil field to heat and power the greenhouse. This initiative also addresses the issue of flaring, where natural gas is burned off, by building necessary infrastructure to capture the gas for use in the greenhouse. Oil production on the Fort Berthold Reservation has helped the tribe build essential infrastructure, including schools, roads, housing, and medical facilities.
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