A bill addressing North Dakota food insecurity with a $10 million grant has been proposed

A bill proposing $10 million from the Strategic Investment and Improvements Fund (SIIF) for a statewide charitable food distribution facility received widespread support in a legislative hearing Thursday. HB 1143 would create a matching grant program, with the Great Plains Food Bank, the state’s sole food bank, likely being the recipient. The funding aims to address rising food insecurity in North Dakota, where a record 156,000 people sought food assistance last year. The Great Plains Food Bank’s current Fargo distribution center is inadequate, prompting the need for a new facility. There was no opposition to the bill.