Goehring hangs on to North Dakota agriculture commissioner seat

North Dakota Agriculture Commissioner Doug Goehring was reelected Tuesday after an active campaign by Democratic challenger Vern Thompson. 

Goehring, a Republican, pulled in about 63% of the vote in complete but unofficial results. That percentage tracked with other Republicans in statewide races. Thompson had 37% of the vote.

Goehring said Tuesday night he tried to focus during the campaign on ag issues such as research and foreign trade. He said North Dakota doesn’t have a lot of control over federal tariff policies but the state still needs to pursue ag exports for North Dakota commodities.

“You put your head down and work through this,” he said. 

Goehring has been ag commissioner since being appointed in 2009. 

Thompson, a former farmer and state legislator, organized several community forums across the state during the campaign season, largely focused on data centers and their impact on rural areas. 

The North Dakota Department of Agriculture does not regulate data centers. But the agriculture commissioner has a seat on the three-person Industrial Commission, which plays a role in energy development, with data centers needing large amounts of power. 

Thompson said he respected the results and the voters of North Dakota. 

“When I woke up this morning, I was at peace because our team, our campaign did everything we could,” he said late Tuesday. 

Thompson has said the state has not provided leadership on the controversial data center issue and should do more to protect affected landowners and provide guidance to local governments. 

Goehring, who farms at Menoken, has said the state should not interfere with landowners who could benefit from working with the developer of a data center or other projects. He has said it is important for North Dakota to develop its energy resources. 

Agriculture remains a dominant industry in North Dakota, but farmers in recent years have been stressed by shifting trade policies, drought, severe storms and the rising costs of inputs such as fuel and fertilizer. 

Thompson, who runs a trucking company in Fargo, said North Dakota leaders have been slow to react. Goehring has pointed to programs that have provided farmers with low-interest loans to rebuild from natural disasters and keep farming until the farm economy improves. 

Reach North Dakota Monitor deputy editor Jeff Beach at [email protected]