Polk County, population 31,416, is a very progressive, ag-based county located in northwest Minnesota. According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture it has ranked No. 1 in three areas of crop production — spring wheat, dry beans and sugarbeets. The county hosts two of American Crystal Sugar Company’s processing plants, the University of Minnesota-Crookston and Northland Community Technical College (East Grand Forks) campuses, the Glacial Ridge National Wildlife and Rydell National Wildlife refuges, two county park-campgrounds, and several very popular recreational lakes. County operations and services are provided by about 300 of the very finest employees. The governing board is the five-member Polk County Board of Commissioners.