Williston, ND – The Williston City Commission has approved a STAR Fund grant for a new value-added agriculture project in Williams County. ND Malting and Hops, Inc. began production on Thursday, May 23, 2024. The new plant is locally owned by two farmers.
“ND Malting and Hops is an exciting new facility located north of Williston near XWA Airport. This facility has been in the works for some time and is locally owned by David Anfinson and Paul Weyrauch. The grains processed in the facility are grown by the owners and will be used for the 2 row malting process and then shipped to help meet the demand for micro brewing facilities providing malt from some of the best varieties available,” explained Small Business Development Center Regional Director Keith Olson.
ND Malting and Hops, located at 5715 139th Ave. NW, offers customer malting, cleaning, and bagging or bulk loads of grains. The plant can malt up to 30 tons per week.
The Williston STAR Fund and Williams County will each contribute up to $135,000 to the project via the Flex PACE program. Williams County will provide matching dollars because the project falls outside of Williston’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The Bank of North Dakota will also provide a 2-to-1 match to those dollars. The Flex PACE program combines local resources with BND’s PACE Fund to buy down the interest on commercial loans.
“With the help of STAR Fund dollars, we were able to build a quality facility that is competitive both locally, regionally, and internationally while keeping dollars in our community and promote Northwest North Dakota agriculture,” said owner David Anfinson.
The Williston City Commission also approved STAR Fund grants for Busy Bees Enterprises, KO Safety Services, and McKenzie County Healthcare Systems at its meeting on Tuesday, May 28.
Flex PACE Applications
Busy Bees Enterprises: The company will receive up to $32,500 from the STAR Fund and a matching $32,500 from Williams County because the project is located outside of Williston’s extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). Busy Bees is purchasing the assets of an existing business to keep the company local and maintain jobs. The business is located at 5057 141st Ave. NW.
KO Safety Services: The company will receive up to $63,000 from the Flex PACE program to purchase the building they are currently renting at 5807 W. Front St
Community Grant Applications
McKenzie County Healthcare Systems: The Williston Clinic will receive up to $100,000 ($50,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025) to purchase new echocardiogram equipment. The equipment will enhance cardiac health and services in the Williston area.
The STAR Fund is supported by a voter-approved one cent city sales tax, with seventy-five percent allocated to offset city infrastructure costs and the remaining 25% dedicated to job creation, business development, and retention efforts. The STAR Fund portion of the tax is governed by a seven-member advisory board which meets monthly. For more information about business opportunities in Williston, individuals can contact Keith Olson, Small Business Development Center, or visit the Williston Economic Development website or social media channels.
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