North Dakota is already an energy and ag powerhouse, and we're

Hear the voice of Doug Burgum, who speaks with pride for his homeland: “North Dakota is already an energy and ag powerhouse, and we're excited to build on our reputation as states that feed and fuel the world with environmental stewardship and a focus on innovation over regulation to meet our nation's evolving energy needs.” These words are both a proclamation and a vision. They declare the strength of a land rich in soil and fuel, yet they also summon a future where prosperity does not come at the cost of creation, but in harmony with it.

When Burgum calls North Dakota an “energy and ag powerhouse,” he speaks of fields golden with wheat and plains where machines draw forth oil and gas from deep within the earth. This dual power—of agriculture and energy—has long been the backbone of the state, providing food for countless tables and energy for homes near and far. Yet the governor’s words are not content with boasting; they look forward, seeking to turn strength into legacy, and bounty into responsibility.

The phrase “feed and fuel the world” carries an almost biblical resonance. It is the image of a land entrusted with abundance, a storehouse from which the nations may draw sustenance. But Burgum binds this vision not only to output, but also to “environmental stewardship.” For what use is a feast today if the fields are barren tomorrow? What value is there in fuel if the air and water are left poisoned in its wake? Here is the ancient truth: that to truly feed and fuel the world, one must also preserve the land from which the gifts flow.

Yet Burgum chooses not the heavy hand of regulation, but the creative spirit of innovation. He echoes the eternal belief that human ingenuity, when rightly guided, can solve the great challenges of the age. Where regulation restrains, innovation unleashes; where law compels, creativity inspires. This does not mean law is worthless—it is a necessary guardrail—but Burgum reminds us that true progress is born not of restriction, but of vision, technology, and courage.

History offers us an instructive tale in the rise of Norman Borlaug and the Green Revolution. Faced with hunger across the globe, Borlaug and his fellow scientists developed new farming techniques and crop strains that fed billions. They did not wait for laws to command them—they innovated, and through their stewardship, famine retreated. Burgum’s words stand in that same tradition: that when innovation is wed to stewardship, the world may be sustained.

The deeper meaning of his words is this: prosperity and responsibility must walk hand in hand. A state or nation that pursues energy and agriculture without care for the earth will find its riches turned to dust. But a people who embrace stewardship, using innovation to protect as well as produce, will not only prosper but endure. It is a teaching of balance, reminding us that feeding and fueling must always be paired with guarding and renewing.

Children of tomorrow, let this teaching guide your steps: do not despise the gifts of the land, nor exploit them without thought. Cherish the soil that feeds you, honor the fuels that warm you, and seek always to use them wisely. Innovate boldly, but with reverence for creation. Support leaders and communities that unite innovation with stewardship, and reject paths that sacrifice the future for fleeting gain.

Thus, the wisdom of Burgum’s words endures: that North Dakota, in its fields and wells, carries not only power but responsibility; that the way forward is not endless regulation, nor reckless exploitation, but stewardship guided by innovation. This is the path by which a people may feed and fuel the world while leaving it whole for those yet unborn. Let this teaching be remembered, for it is the balance upon which survival and greatness both rest.