**Exhibit31.1**

 

 

**OFFICERCERTIFICATION**

 

I, Timothy J. Dodd, certify that:

 

1. I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-Q of Dakota GrowersPasta Company, Inc.;

 

2. Based on my knowledge, this quarterly report does not contain anyuntrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessaryto make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which suchstatements were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by thisquarterly report;

 

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financialinformation included in this quarterly report, fairly present in all materialrespects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of theregistrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly report;

 

4. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I are responsible forestablishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined inExchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

 

a) designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure thatmaterial information relating to the registrant, including its consolidatedsubsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularlyduring the period in which this quarterly report is being prepared;

 

b) evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant’s disclosure controlsand procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of thisquarterly report (the “Evaluation Date”); and

 

c) presented in this quarterly report our conclusions about theeffectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our evaluationas of the Evaluation Date;

 

5. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have disclosed,based on our most recent evaluation, to the registrant’s auditors and the auditcommittee of registrant’s board of directors (or persons performing theequivalent function):

 

a) all significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internalcontrols which could adversely affect the registrant’s ability to record,process, summarize and report financial data and have identified for theregistrant’s auditors any material weaknesses in internal controls; and

 

b) any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management orother employees who have a significant role in the registrant’s internalcontrols; and

 

6. The registrant’s other certifying officers and I have indicated inthis quarterly report whether or not there were significant changes in internalcontrols or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controlssubsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any correctiveactions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.

 
| Date:   March 16, 2004 |                                   |
|---------------------------------------|----------------------------------------|
|                                  |                                   |
|                                  | /s/  Timothy J. Dodd                   |   |
|                                  |                                   |
|                                  | Timothy  J. Dodd                       |
|                                  | President  and Chief Executive Officer |

 

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