AGP Executive Report

Rural Health Funding: North Dakota’s HHS will use in-state “anchor partners” to manage Rural Health Transformation Program grants, aiming to speed up implementation of more than $160M and improve rural access and workforce support. AI & Finance: Fiserv’s digital asset platform is now live with financial institution clients, with Bank of North Dakota’s Roughrider Coin as the first stablecoin use case for faster interbank transfers across the state. Agriculture Tech: NDSU’s Dr. Wade Webster urges growers to sample soil during SCN Action Month, warning soybean cyst nematode is hard to eliminate once established and requires year-to-year management. Autonomous Farming: Aigen says its solar-powered crop robots can manage fields without diesel or herbicides, using simulation-trained models to detect crops and weed pressure. Education & Learning: UND’s reaccreditation materials cite NSSE results tied to teaching and learning outcomes, including students’ ability to analyze viewpoints and solve complex real-world problems. Immigration Program Data: USCIS reports 66 H-2B worker approvals for North Dakota manufacturing worksites in fiscal 2026 through June 30, with a 100% approval rate. Community & STEM: Napoleon teacher Brian Schneider wins the Harbor Freight Tools for Schools Prize for Teaching Excellence and was also named North Dakota’s 2027 Teacher of the Year.

Rural Tech & Power Planning: North Dakota’s electric co-ops are weighing how to handle rising data center demand while keeping a members-first approach, using in-lieu-of property tax tied to electric sales to benefit local taxing districts. Rural Health Funding: North Dakota HHS will use in-state “anchor partners” to manage Rural Health Transformation grants, aiming to speed up distribution of more than $160M while keeping state oversight. Education Leadership: State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier is visiting districts across North Dakota to hear local needs and priorities as he campaigns for the Nov. 3 superintendent election. Agriculture Watch: NDSU Extension says corn stalk rot is increasing, with drought stress followed by late-season rain driving spread; farmers are advised on harvest timing and drying. Healthcare Systems: Essentia Health and HealthPartners announced plans to merge under the HealthPartners name, a move that will affect North Dakota clinics and access. AI & Law: Wyoming and a multistate coalition are pushing consumers to file claims in generic drug antitrust settlements, with North Dakota included among the states named in the broader ACA and health policy coverage.

Rural Health Funding: North Dakota HHS will manage its $160M+ Rural Health Transformation Program using in-state “anchor partners,” including the UND Center for Rural Health, after lawmakers questioned how the new structure will affect grant timing and oversight. K-12 Leadership: State Superintendent Levi Bachmeier is visiting Grand Forks schools as part of a statewide listening tour across 167 districts. Healthcare Consolidation: Essentia Health and HealthPartners have approved a merger/affiliation plan under the HealthPartners name, a move that will ripple into ND clinics and services. Workforce & Immigration: ND employers in Educational Services filed 178 H-1B petitions in 2025, with a 98.3% approval rate—led by UND and NDSU. Public Input: The North Dakota Children’s Cabinet launches a statewide “road show” with stops in 11 cities to gather feedback on child and family services. Agriculture & Tech Research: UND received a $1.5M federal grant to study what physical and psychological traits predict success in naval flight training. Health Policy: The Trump administration began mailing $500 ACA refund checks to eligible enrollees in 30 states, including North Dakota. Diesel Relief: Gov. Kelly Armstrong expanded use of cheaper red-dyed diesel for licensed ag operations through Nov. 30.

Healthcare Tech & Access: HealthPartners and Essentia Health have approved an affiliation agreement to combine into a single nonprofit system under the HealthPartners name, aiming to expand access, strengthen specialty services, and leverage technology; the deal is expected to take effect Jan. 1, 2027, pending regulators. Cybersecurity & AI Skills: Bismarck State College’s CyberCon opened with a focus on online safety as AI grows in everyday services, bringing students and critical-infrastructure professionals together. Counter-Drone Innovation: A $7B counter-drone contract under JIATF 401 highlights continued push toward detection and mitigation tech, including plug-and-play approaches for adversarial drone defense. ND Research Funding: HHS awarded more than $1.3M to UND, Mayville State, and NDSU for rural health policy work, Head Start projects, and FDA-related research. Agriculture STEM: NDSF handed out 12 scholarships at the North Dakota Stockmen’s Association convention, supporting students in agriculture education, animal science, and related fields. Community Science: Fargo fifth graders met live snakes in a classroom visit designed to reduce fear through hands-on learning. Data Centers & Policy: North Dakota’s data center debate continues as lawmakers face pressure to address impacts on electricity, water, and community trust.

Data Centers & Local Governance: North Dakota is trying to catch up as the data center boom accelerates, with 12 operational sites, six under construction, and 15 more planned or proposed—prompting county moratoriums and new ordinances as residents ask about power, costs, and public input. Cybersecurity & AI Skills: Bismarck State College’s CyberCon opened with a focus on online safety and critical infrastructure, with students debating how quickly AI should be adopted. Healthcare Tech & Services: Two Minnesota-based nonprofit systems, Essentia Health and HealthPartners, approved a merger plan that would drop the Essentia name and create a larger regional organization serving North Dakota, pending regulators. AI Misuse in Public Safety: A Tennessee grandmother sued Fargo and a detective, alleging an AI facial recognition match led to months of wrongful detention after a bank theft case. STEM & Workforce Pipeline: UND’s aerospace legacy continues with John D. Odegard’s posthumous National Aviation Hall of Fame induction, while a Grand Forks housing forum tied shortages to career/technical education and starter-home ideas. Rural Health Funding: HHS awarded more than $1.3M to UND, Mayville State, and NDSU for rural health policy, Head Start work, and FDA research.

Counter-Drone Tech in North Dakota: Grand Forks’ GrandSKY counter-drone research park is getting fresh attention as the Pentagon expands directed-energy counter-UAS pilots, with local defense contractors testing unmanned systems. AI Governance & Public Safety: North Dakota’s Insurance Commissioner ordered an AI firm and its founder to stop selling securities in the state over alleged unregistered investment solicitations, while a separate case highlights how AI facial recognition errors can land people in jail for months. Data Center Pressure: North Dakota communities are scrambling to catch up with the hyperscale data center boom driven by AI, with counties weighing moratoriums and new ordinances as residents question costs and impacts. STEM Infrastructure: UND’s STEM Complex is moving through major construction milestones, with a beam-signing set for Oct. 2. Education & Tech Use: The state K-12 superintendent is visiting Grand Forks schools, including discussions on technology use and workforce shortages. Health Tech & Research: Fetch Pet launched “Fetch Online Vet” with Vetster for virtual care with no out-of-pocket costs, and Harold Hamm donated $150M to the University of Oklahoma to study diabetes. Policy Watch: Attorney General Alan Wilson urged consumers to file claims tied to a multistate generic drug price-inflation settlement plan.

AI & Public Safety: A Tennessee grandmother sued a North Dakota city and police after she says officials relied on a flawed AI facial recognition match to extradite her, leading to nearly six months in jail. Health Tech: A Lancet trial found long-acting injectable HIV treatment (cabotegravir–rilpivirine) outperformed daily pills for viral suppression in adolescents. Education & Tech Use: North Dakota’s K-12 superintendent Levi Bachmeier is visiting four Grand Forks schools, with technology use and workforce shortages on the discussion list. Higher Ed Infrastructure: UND’s STEM Complex is moving forward, with a beam signing set for Oct. 2 as crews continue structural steel and electrical rough-in. State AI Oversight: North Dakota’s insurance commissioner ordered an AI company to stop doing business in the state over alleged unregistered investment activity. Defense Robotics: Liminal Industries advanced in a U.S. Army competition and plans to demonstrate its DUEL-V unmanned ground vehicle at Camp Grafton in mid-October. Workforce Visas: North Dakota employers filed 105 H-1B petitions in 2025 in the Health Care and Social Assistance industry, with 101 approved. Community Tech for Care: First responders opened a Safe Haven Baby Box in Campbell County, designed to keep newborns safe with built-in temperature control.

STEM Infrastructure: UND’s STEM Complex is moving fast, with crews setting structural steel and pouring concrete decks; a beam-signing ceremony is set for Oct. 2 outside the Memorial Union. AI Regulation: North Dakota’s Insurance Commissioner ordered Silverberry Group (now WoundScribe AI) to stop operating after it solicited investments without proper state registration. Higher Ed Efficiency: The ND University System backed a coordinated “One NDUS” model to boost collaboration and transfers while keeping UND and NDSU independent. Data Centers & Politics: An ag commissioner challenger is spotlighting data center impacts and pipeline-linked public support, while the incumbent calls the debate “grandstanding.” Broadband Funding Risk: Educators warn that changes to the FCC’s E-Rate program could raise costs for ND schools and libraries if the discount system is cut. Paleontology: New adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway finds from North Dakota suggest a brisk walking speed, adding detail to how the predator moved. Agritech/Health: A reminder for ranchers: remove net wrap before feeding to reduce rumen problems from forage binding material. Workforce Visas: USCIS reports 1,466 H-2B worker approvals tied to ND worksites in fiscal 2026 through June 30, 2026.

Broadband Funding Watch: The FCC’s proposed changes to the E-Rate program could cut or end discounts for North Dakota schools and libraries, putting local budgets on the hook after years of support. AI in Classrooms: Red River Valley districts are rolling out AI with guardrails—using tools for study help while setting rules for when students should go “old-school.” Agriculture Tech & Safety: North Dakota researchers are expanding a multi-state tick study, asking residents to submit ticks to track species and disease risk as fall tick activity ramps up. Space Security: Cape Canaveral is moving toward laser-based defenses to detect and take down drone incursions near the spaceport. Education & Workforce: H-2B approvals tied to North Dakota worksites reached 1,466 in fiscal 2026 through June 30, with a 99.6% approval rate. Local Tech & Community: A North Dakota invention—an Alexander-built 1963 crop sprayer—has been restored and brought back to life for public events. Health Policy: North Dakota AG Fitch joined a 20-state push to tighten scrutiny of Chinese-sourced pharmaceutical ingredients, especially around GLP-1 supply chains. STEM Discovery: New adult T. rex trackway findings from North Dakota’s Hell Creek region shed light on how the dinosaur walked.

E-Rate Funding Shakeup: A draft FCC review could cut or end the E-Rate program that helps North Dakota schools and libraries pay for broadband, data transmission, and network hardware—potentially forcing districts to cover costs locally. Dinosaur Science in the Badlands: New Hell Creek trackway findings report the first known adult T. rex multi-step track in North Dakota, with footprints suggesting a brisk walking pace. USDA Staffing Strain: A USDA staffing shift is leaving North Dakota with fewer on-the-ground Farm Service Agency and related support staff, raising alarms about longer waits and delayed farm programs. Space Security Upgrade: Cape Canaveral is set to deploy directed-energy lasers to detect and take down drone threats during launches. AI in Classrooms: Red River Valley schools are rolling out AI study tools and classroom rules, aiming to teach when to use AI and when to go analog. Public Health Research: A tick study is expanding into North Dakota, asking residents to submit ticks from people and pets to track species and disease risk. UND Foreign Funding Probe: UND says it’s responding to a U.S. Department of Education inquiry tied to foreign funding disclosures involving pilot training contracts. Mental Health in Aviation: The Senate passed the John A. Hauser Mental Health in Aviation Act, designed to make it easier for pilots and air traffic controllers to seek care.

Paleontology: A first-of-its-kind adult Tyrannosaurus rex trackway was documented in North Dakota’s Hell Creek—four nearly one-meter footprints over about seven meters—offering new clues to how the predator walked. Agriculture & Policy: A USDA staffing shakeup is leaving North Dakota farmers and ranchers with longer waits and delayed programs as local offices lose on-the-ground support. Defense & Space: Cape Canaveral is set to deploy directed-energy laser defenses aimed at drone threats to protect launch operations. Education & Workforce: North Dakota schools are rolling out AI use with new classroom rules and guidance, balancing study support with when students should work the old-fashioned way. Public Health: A tick study is expanding into North Dakota, asking residents to submit ticks to track species and potential diseases. Mental Health in Aviation: The Senate passed a bill named for a UND aviation student to make mental health care easier for pilots and air traffic controllers. Healthcare Access: Chrysalis Health and Curaechoice are partnering to expand no-cost mental health services across North Dakota and the region. Higher Ed Scrutiny: UND says it’s gathering information in response to a federal inquiry tied to foreign funding disclosures and pilot training contracts.

Broadband Buildout: North Dakota’s IT director says the state is down to just a few hundred to about a thousand “serviceable addresses” left for hard-wired high-speed internet, with completion targeted for the middle of next year. Higher Ed & Compliance: UND says it’s gathering information in response to a U.S. Department of Education inquiry about foreign funding disclosures tied to pilot training contracts associated with Chinese airlines. Public Health & Policy: Attorney General Lynn Fitch joined a 20-state push urging tighter safeguards against low-quality Chinese pharmaceutical ingredients entering the U.S. supply chain, citing GLP-1-related concerns. Education Tech in Schools: Red River Valley districts are rolling out AI in classrooms with guardrails—using tools like Gemini Notebook for study help while setting grade- and subject-specific rules. Health Care Access: A new partnership expands no-cost mental health services across multiple states, including North Dakota, via in-person clinics and secure virtual care. Agriculture Research & Industry: BASF and Bunge move InVigor Gold canola toward commercialization by adding processing for the Brassica juncea hybrid, with broader availability planned for 2027. STEM Discovery: A first adult T. rex trackway from North Dakota suggests the predator walked at a brisk human pace, adding rare behavior detail beyond bones. Local Tech & Infrastructure: I-94 westbound near Grant Marsh Bridge gets maintenance Sept. 28 with a single-lane closure during working hours.

Broadband Update: North Dakota is down to just a few hundred to about a thousand hard-to-serve addresses before hitting near-100% high-speed coverage, with every remaining project already broken ground and completion targeted for mid–next year. University & Compliance: UND says it’s gathering information for a U.S. Department of Education inquiry tied to foreign funding disclosures, including training contracts connected to pilots associated with Chinese airlines. Public Health Tech: A tick study that began in Wisconsin is expanding into North Dakota, asking residents to submit ticks from themselves or pets via kit drop-offs in Fargo to track species and possible diseases. Mental Health Access: Chrysalis Health and Curaechoice are partnering to expand no-cost mental health services across multiple states including North Dakota, aiming to reduce cost and access barriers for employer plans. AI & Consumer Protection: North Dakota’s insurance regulator issued a stop order to a Grand Forks-linked medical AI investment operation, citing improper registration. STEM in the Classroom: Napoleon ag educator Brian Schneider was named North Dakota Teacher of the Year, highlighting career and technical education’s role in building future STEM talent. Paleontology Spotlight: A North Dakota high school teacher helped document the first known adult T. rex trackway, revealing how the dinosaur likely walked.

Public Safety & Local Tech: Jamestown’s police staffing plan recommends adding 6 patrol officers and 1 records clerk over two fiscal years to improve response times and coverage. AI & Consumer Platforms: Reports say AI-generated products are pushing some Etsy sellers off the platform, raising questions about enforcement and creator impact. Healthcare Workforce: Minot State University plans to expand healthcare programs, including a new simulation center, to address North Dakota’s nursing and health staffing needs. Renewable Energy Grants: North Dakota Industrial Commission approved $611,862 in matching grants for renewable projects, including woody biomass utilization research and fuel cell development. Agritech Research: A University of Nebraska–Lincoln survey is asking Midwestern corn and soybean producers—including North Dakota farmers—what they think about AI tools, focusing on trust, data ownership, privacy, and cost. Geospatial Risk Mapping: States are using lidar, machine learning, and satellite imagery to map landslide risks, with North Dakota included in new federal-funded efforts. Flood Planning: NDDOT will hold a public input meeting Oct. 1 in Grand Forks on the Northern Red River Flood Study, aimed at reducing highway closures. Citizen Science Health: Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic Research Institute are expanding a tick surveillance citizen science program into North Dakota, with kits for testing tick-borne pathogens. Education Spotlight: Napoleon ag education teacher Brian Schneider was named North Dakota’s 2027 Teacher of the Year.

Public Health & Policy: Mississippi authorities urged people to avoid kratom after finding packaged products during separate investigations into the deaths of two University of Mississippi students, while officials stressed no confirmed link yet and toxicology results are pending. Cancer Research: Advocates from North Dakota and South Dakota pressed Congress for more cancer research and prevention funding, including passage of the Clinical Trial Modernization Act. Geospatial Risk Tech: USGS is funding landslide mapping projects using lidar, machine learning, and satellite imagery, including a North Dakota effort to build better hazard inventories. Flood Planning: NDDOT will hold an Oct. 1 public input meeting in Grand Forks on the Northern Red River Flood Study, focused on reducing highway closures. Citizen Science: Sanford Health and Marshfield Clinic Research Institute are expanding a tick surveillance program into North Dakota, asking residents to submit ticks for pathogen testing. Renewables: The North Dakota Industrial Commission approved $611,862 in matching grants for renewable energy projects, including woody biomass utilization and fuel cell development. Education & Workforce: NDSU reported its first overall enrollment drop in three years, while NDSCS highlighted growth in credit hours and hands-on ag training. Agriculture Tech: A University of Nebraska–Lincoln survey is asking Midwest corn and soybean producers what they think about AI tools, including trust, privacy, and cost.

Education & Training: NDSCS in Wahpeton cut the ribbon on a new agriculture center and Kosel Family Agriculture Lab, adding more hands-on precision ag practice with simulators and a land lab. Workforce Pipeline: Bismarck State College and Sanford Bismarck boosted surgical tech training after a donation of operating room beds for realistic, equipment-based learning. Agriculture & Food Tech: A cattle-producer panel in West Fargo tackled how to rebuild a shrinking herd while meeting rising beef demand, with experts pointing to pasture capacity and drought impacts on hay. Ag Policy & Trade: Minnesota’s agriculture commissioner flagged Canada tariffs and other cross-border issues as major concerns for border states, with meetings planned through late September. Public Health: North Dakota consumers are being urged to file claims in a $96.5M multistate settlement over alleged generic drug price inflation. Science & Discovery: High school teacher Kent Hups’ North Dakota Hell Creek track finds add to T. rex movement research, while separate work suggests Uranus moon Ariel may once have hosted a deep hidden ocean. Housing & Community Tech: Zillow reported August typical home values rising across multiple North Dakota counties, including Burleigh County up 3.4% to $370,241.