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Leech Lake sets sights on new wild rice processing facility

KAXE
Published October 21, 2024 at 3:24 PM CDT
Two people sit in a canoe in a wild rice bed wearing life jackets and wide-brimmed hats
Contributed
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Lorie Shaull via Flickr
Two harvesters use carved cedar knockers to remove the ripened wild rice grains from the plant in 2021 in Floodwood, Minnesota.

The federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce will allow the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to develop a facility to process its own wild rice.

CASS LAKE — A processing facility for wild rice, the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe’s only commercially produced product, is in the future.

A $3.6 million grant from the Commerce Department’s Economic Development Administration was awarded last month to the band.

The funds will result in a 6,100-square foot facility and is expected to create 15 jobs, according to a news release.

“This project will empower the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe to process its own wild rice and open additional business opportunities," said Cristina Kellingsworth, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Policy and External Affairs.

Manoomin, or wild rice, is a sacred part of Ojibwe culture and a key resource for tribal members and the tribal economy.

Gavin Herrera told AgWeek that the facility is expected to be built next year, with a completion date around the next harvest season.

The project was also made possible by the regional planning efforts led by the Region Five Development Commission.
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Local News KAXEGovernment & PoliticsLeech Lake Band of OjibweWild RiceEconomy
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