Cavalier County, North Dakota Issued BDO Zone 'A' Rating for Canola Seed
Cavalier County, North Dakota Issued BDO Zone 'A' Rating for Canola Seed
– ‘A’ Rating Establishes United States' First Canola Seed BDO Zone –
May 27, 2026 – Cavalier County Job Development Authority, Ecostrat and the BDO Zone Initiative are pleased to announce the issue of a BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating for Cavalier County, North Dakota. The BDO Zone is the first Rating in the state of North Dakota and the first Rating in the United States for canola seed, rated for 565,000 tons per year within a 75-mile radius of Munich, ND.
Cavalier County’s ‘A’ rating denotes high prospective viability of Feedstock Supply and Infrastructure and low expectations of default risk in the Zone. The region is one of the strongest canola-producing areas on the continent, supported by a large and well-established agricultural base. Over 5,000 multi-generational canola farmers operate within the Supply Zone, and many manage more than 1,000 acres. The area benefits from strong transportation options, favorable regulations, robust on-farm storage, a mature market, and an experienced workforce, all of which support the region’s overall readiness and provide a solid foundation for biobased development.
Shannon Duerr, Executive Director of the Cavalier County Job Development Authority, stated, “The A rating confirms what we’ve known for a long time. Our producers have deep knowledge and experience growing canola, and Cavalier County has been a leader in canola production for years. With decades of research from the North Dakota State University research center on canola and how it performs in this region, we offer a strong opportunity for value added development.”
Craig Schommer, Mayor of the City of Munich, stated, “As mayor and on behalf of the entire city of Munich and the surrounding area we are very pleased to have been given an A rating for our biomass-based project development potential. Our community is very well located in a highly developed agricultural region that offers diverse production of many different crops ranging from major commodities. We look forward to the future and to the opportunities that lie ahead.”
Lawrence Henry, Langdon City Commissioner and Research Specialist at the Langdon Research Center, stated, “Canola is a major driver in the NE ND farm economy. The climate in NE ND is perfect for canola and is a huge part of the success in canola production. With our shorter growing season, canola is a great option in the producer’s crop rotation plans. The Langdon Research Extension Center has conducted numerous canola studies since the late 1980s, we have seen major improvements over the last few decades with increases in yield and disease resistant varieties that have become available to our producers.”
Austin Lafrenz, President of the Cavalier County Commission, stated, “The BDO Zone ‘A’ Rating is an exciting opportunity for growth and validates our potential. This region is known for record yields and good quality canola. To have a processing facility right in our own backyard would be extremely impactful and beneficial. Our local grain elevators buy canola, then must ship it to the processing plants, which is a direct cost that comes out of the grower’s pocket. Cutting down on freight costs and added competition for canola buyers would ultimately get the farmer a better price.”
Jordan Solomon, Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative, stated, “Cavalier County’s ‘A’ rating reflects a solid foundation for canola seed-based development, along with clear pathways for improvement. With minimal local competition and strong infrastructure, the region has notable potential to support biobased projects, especially with strategic investment and regional alignment.”
To see the full BDO Zone Rating for Cavalier County, ND, please click here, or visit www.bdozone.org.
BDO Zone Project Development Support:
About The BDO Zone Initiative
The Biofuel Development Opportunity (BDO) Zone Initiative certifies ‘regional readiness’ for bio-manufacturing, creates global connections and ignites an influx of new energy opportunities for farmers, economic developers, and rural businesses. A BDO Zone rating is an internationally recognized, standards-based technical risk assessment of a region’s feedstock, supply chain, and infrastructure risk with respect to the development potential for new biofuel plants. BDO Zone ratings are site location bullseyes for bio-project development. Investment grade ratings are force-multipliers for attracting new manufacturing plants to the areas where they are most likely to succeed, drive investment and create jobs.
For more information on the BDO Zone Initiative, contact info@bdozone.org. To view all BDO Zone ratings, visit www.bdozone.org. Check out the BDO Zone LinkedIn page for news and updates.
Ecostrat is the North American leader in biomass due diligence for biofuels, renewable chemicals, biogas, and bio-product project development and finance. Jordan Solomon is Chairman of the BDO Zone Initiative and President of Ecostrat (www.ecostrat.com). He can be reached at jordan.solomon@ecostrat.com.