Innovation that has impacted the world​

For generations, the rich soil of the Red River Valley has drawn farmers and their families to its promising plains. And while the area is known for its flourishing fields, it should also be known for its innovation.

Over the decades, the region surrounding Fargo-Moorhead has made its mark on the world through advancements in agriculture, machinery, manufacturing and technology. Successful companies like Bobcat, Steiger Tractors, Concord, Amity Technology, Bushel, Phoenix International (which became John Deere) and many others have planted deep roots in the area. The branches of their success have extended far beyond their local communities and reached countries thousands of miles away.

The Red River Valley: An Epicenter of farming and technology

Howard Dahl is a well-known name in the agriculture and machinery industries. From Bobcat, Steiger, Concord and Amity Technology, it’s difficult to describe how monumental of an effect Dahl and his family’s products have had throughout the world.

From his farm near Gwinner, N.D., Dahl’s grandfather, E.G. Melroe, started the Melroe Manufacturing Company in 1947 where he created a windrow pickup that greatly improved the quality of harvesting for small grains. He also created a harrow that was used extensively for seedbed finishing.

By the time Melroe passed away in 1955, Melroe Manufacturing Company was North Dakota’s largest employer in manufacturing, but his legacy of successful farming equipment wouldn’t end there.

In 1958 at the Minnesota State Fair, Les Melroe, E.G. Melroe’s son, was impressed by a three-wheeled loader being shown by Louie and Cy Keller who were blacksmiths from Rothsay, Minn. The idea for the loader came from a nearby turkey farmer who was tired of cleaning out his turkey barns with a wheelbarrow and a shovel.

The Melroe family made a deal with the Keller brothers to move to Gwinner and work with a team of engineers to continue developing its design. After much testing and many design changes, in 1962, the M440 Melroe Bobcat was born, the world’s first skid-steer loader. 

The Bobcat skid-steer loader, long known as North Dakota’s signature product, has been one of the best-selling and most impactful inventions in farming, construction and landscaping history.

Although the family sold the Bobcat company in 1969, Bobcat continues to supply the world’s demand for easily maneuverable machinery.

Over the years, the invention of the Bobcat eventually made compact equipment soar to a $11.6 billion global industry. Their North American headquarters are located in West Fargo, N.D., and their products are now designed and manufactured in North Dakota, Minnesota, other U.S. states and countries around the world.

In the early 1970s, Les Melroe and Eugene Dahl (Howard Dahl’s father) purchased Steiger Tractor and grew it from $2 million in sales to $105 million in five years. Later that decade, Howard Dahl and his brother Brian started Concord, Inc., which became the leading U.S. manufacturer of air seeders. The company was sold to Case in 1996, and that same day, Amity Technology was created for the production and sale of sugar beet harvesting equipment.

“My brother Brian and I often say we basically stand on the shoulders of our grandfather, father and uncles who built such significant businesses. We were able to watch and learn,” Dahl said.

While their business ventures haven’t been without hardships and trying economic times, the Dahl and Melroe families put North Dakota on the map for revolutionizing machinery. Along the way, they’ve inspired many other entrepreneurs and companies to plant their dreams in the region as well.

Inspiration for generations to come

In a small NDSU dorm room in 2010, 21-year-old Jake Joraanstad was hard at work developing his first software. He combined forces with fellow NDSU student Ryan Raguse, and as juniors in college, they started Myriad Mobile, a company focused on native mobile software development.

Five years later, Raguse had the realization that the industry needed to digitize scale tickets, the main receipts for grain delivery, after helping out on his family farm. From there, Joraanstad and Raguse saw that as an opportunity to pivot their consulting business into agricultural software products.

In 2017, they launched Bushel, the industry’s first automated software platform for providing tickets, contracts, cash bids and more.

Over the years, Bushel has grown exponentially as they continue to drive productivity and profitability for agriculture by connecting the supply chain with digital tools that streamline operations. They currently employ 180 employees across North Dakota, Minnesota and the United States.

Every day, over 2,600 grain and ag retail facilities and 110,000 farmers across the U.S. and Canada use Bushel tools. The Bushel platform offers ways to view information and engage digitally through signing contracts, making offers to sell grain, and facilitating payments between farmers, grain buyers, ag retailers, protein producers and food companies.

Before they became the success they are today, Joraanstad’s dreams were encouraged by seeing the examples of leaders who came before him.

Just as Dahl was inspired by his family legacy in manufacturing and machinery to manage and build his own companies, Joraanstad was inspired by business giants like Dahl and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum.

“One of the most motivating people to follow when I was starting out was Governor Doug Burgum who built Great Plains software. It’s one of the few companies that told the story of what they did, and it was inspiring for entrepreneurs,” Joraanstad said. “Then I got to meet Howard along the way and learn about his story. He’s another impressive example, and Howard supported us and a lot of others.”

Whether the industry is in agriculture, software, a merging of the two, or another industry, learning how others made it on such a large scale has inspired countless entrepreneurs.

“Observing others who have built great companies gives people some self-confidence,” Dahl said. “In the early years, when Doug Burgum was fighting to grow Great Plains software, he used to say that the history of Bobcat inspired him. You see that you can build a great global company from Fargo, and you get the sense that if somebody else can do it, you can too. I think success breeds success.”

Stories of success breed success

To spur on the efforts of other entrepreneurs, Joraanstad co-created a regional non-profit called Emerging Prairie and StartupBREW Fargo as support for burgeoning businesses. Focused on startups, technology and innovation, Emerging Prairie serves anyone interested in being a part of the entrepreneurial community.

“Success breeds success, but you have to start by telling the stories. We realized that part of the problem was that we had to first talk about the success we’ve had in North Dakota,” Joraanstad said. “In North Dakota, we don’t brag a lot, so I talk a lot about all the things that have been done here because we’ve built incredible things. Our point was to encourage people to tell their stories.”

Spreading inspiration has become one of Joraanstad’s missions.

Every Wednesday morning, entrepreneurs are spotlighted at StartupBREW Fargo where they tell their stories, motivating, encouraging and inspiring one another.

“It’s a way for people to learn they can be successful in the Fargo area,” Joraanstad said. “There are hundreds of entrepreneurs starting their businesses here because they’re hearing others tell their stories and seeing success. They want to do it too.”