Microsoft puts $1.5 million into farm project near Fargo

FARGO, N.D. — Microsoft Corp. on Thursday, Oct. 17, announced a $1.5 million, three-year investment into the Fargo-based tech firm Emerging Prairie to help build what Microsoft calls the farm of the future at Emerging Prairie’s Grand Farm project.

Among the dignitaries attending the event at the Microsoft campus in Fargo were North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Microsoft President Brad Smith and Barry Batcheller of Fargo, one of the nation’s leading entrepreneurs in agricultural technology.

Smith said the money will help develop a building at the project site, south of Fargo near the town of Horace, N.D. That will include an “academy” for learning and what promoters describe as a “makerspace,” for companies that want to invent and share ideas.

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