Storm Impact on North Dakota Agriculture ‘Tremendous,’ Ag Commissioner Says

By Michael Achterling and Mary Steurer 

A severe weekend storm that claimed three lives also caused devastating damage to North Dakota’s agriculture industry.

Total damage is still being assessed from the widespread storm, which included a tornado near Enderlin that killed residents Michael Dalton Dehn, 73; Katherine Ann Pfaff-Dehn, 73; and Marcario Machuca Lucio, 89.

On Monday, officials were learning more about the impact of multiple tornadoes, hail, and straight-line winds, with gusts reported to the National Weather Service exceeding 100 mph.

“It went all the way from southwest of Dickinson and just rolled across the state in different areas where supercells popped up,” North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring said. “And it may not have been continuous, but it was continuous enough.”

Gov. Kelly Armstrong declared the storms a statewide disaster on Saturday, activating the state’s emergency plan. He plans to tour the damage in eastern North Dakota this week.

Goehring said the total damage is still being assessed, but his office has received reports of extensive damage to farms including grain handling systems, grain bins, equipment, and irrigation systems. He estimates the loss of grain storage to be tens of millions of bushels.

“The one thing I know with certainty is the amount of damage that was done to grain handling systems and just all of that is just tremendous,” Goehring said. “So many bins that were collapsed.”

He said he’s also heard reports of people losing cattle, livestock buildings, and corrals.

Much of the damage was caused by severe straight-line winds. Goehring said he talked to a spray pilot over the weekend who lost his hangar and found his plane about a quarter-mile away.

“He said the turbine, that’s a $500,000 motor,” Goehring said. “So these guys are experiencing some real significant losses.”

Damage to agriculture facilities or equipment should be reported through the North Dakota State University Extension System, Goehring said.

Lilly Bina, North Dakota State University Extension agent in Cass County, visited Enderlin and Page on Monday to make a record of the damage. Bina said she saw a lot of crushed bins and sheds, torn up trees and shredded fields.

“The crop is not looking very good,” she said.

A grain elevator in Page was mostly destroyed, she added.

“Hopefully there’s some government programs that can help everyone,” she said.

Goehring said the North Dakota Industrial Commission may be able to provide some relief while the state continues to tally up the damage with hopes that federal resources could become available. 

The North Dakota Department of Emergency Services is working with city, county and tribal emergency managers and rural electric cooperatives to assess the extent of the damage. As of Monday, the department did not have information about how many homes were affected.

More than 36,000 customers lost power during the storm, with about 3,250 still without power on Monday, the Department of Emergency Services said.

The American Red Cross was providing community support and planned to serve dinner in Page Monday night, Sue Thesenga, regional communications manager for the nonprofit.

She said multiple families have reached out for temporary housing and financial assistance. Assistance is available calling 1-800-RED-CROSS or visiting the Red Cross website.

The North Dakota Community Foundation has set up a storm relief fund. Financial donations will be provided to impacted communities and homeowners to assist with disaster recovery and unmet needs.

Local communities have also established fundraisers, including the Dakota Plains Credit Union in Enderlin, which will host a freewill donation meal on Tuesday evening.

Tina Bleecker, branch manager for the credit union, said her sister’s farm was hit by the storm. While the family remained safe, they lost several cattle and livestock buildings.

“Walking through their yard was like a movie. It was traumatizing,” Bleecker said. “It’s certainly a sight to behold around here with all the damage.”

North Dakota Monitor is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations. The Monitor’s editorial decisions are made locally by our team of North Dakota journalists. The Monitor retains full editorial independence.