farming has been a central part of America since its
founding in the 19th century, homesteaders settled.
american west. Today America boasts 900 million acres
of farmland according to the USDA, that's 40% of our
land and our farms provide food across the world. In
2021 the government says U.S. Farmers exported $177
billion in products like soybeans, corn, beef and pork.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Amer
citizens own 97% of privately held farmland and for
in the United States. Some say US farms are a global
asset that should be shared. Bloomberg columnist Ada
Minter wrote this in August food security is enhance
by outsiders who seek economic opportunity in farm
country. They should be welcomed. Recently though, the
3% of farmland owned by foreigners has attracted
controversy, specifically focus on China lacking
Farmland, China has struggled to secure food for its
1.4 billion citizens. Just recently in August four
Chinese government departments a drought posed a
severe threat to the autumn harvest. That has driven
overseas investments in food, including the purchase of
Virginia based pork producer, smithfield foods and
partnership with grow mark grain logistics firm.
Chinese companies own about 1/5 of 1% of american
agricultural land per USDA data, but some lawmakers say
chinese firms shouldn't own american farmland at all.
America cannot allow china to control our food supply
and the president and the Congress should end all farm
subsidies for land owned by foreign nationals. In a
july letter to the Agriculture Department 19 Repub
lawmakers said china commits intellectual property
theft and has been prosecuted for attempting to st
us seed D.N.A. Information. Various congressio
seek to bar chinese ownership of farmland. This
amendment would prohibit the purchase of agricultural
land in the United States by companies from china
Russia, north Korea or Iran the people's republic Chin
is only interested in reaping every possible benefit
from us land without giving back or considering our
future 14 states limit in some way the foreign
ownership of farmland according to the National
Agricultural Law Center. But in grand forks North
Dakota, the issue has recently brought national
attention and controversy. In t fall of 2021 the city
proudly announced the sale of land to a chinese owned
conglomerate in Usa Usa chose Grand Forks as their
flagship location for wet corn mill. This will be the
largest single private investme in the history of our
region. When I think of the value that he brings to the
industry to our region, I think of a few things success
as a community in the future population stability
growth. Great jobs. Not every day does almost a billion
dollar facility want to be built into the north Dakota
corn growers association said they were excited about
the project but local opposition has been strong. You
people are bringing want to bring communist china to
grand Forks. The corn mill will sit about 15 miles from
an air force base on cable channels including Fox Ne
politicians have raised concerns about espionage. Let
me tell you what's going on with these Air Force base
is number one, the one in North Dakota has some of our
most sensitive drone and space technology that connects
our space assets to our drones. So to intercept that
from a few miles away isn't that hard In july,
politicians requested that the Federal Committee on
Foreign Investment in the United States investigate the
sale. The committee is now looking into the purchase
company and city officials meanwhile, say the plan is
not a national security threat. U.S.A. Is chief
operating officer. Eric Harris told reporters in March
quote, I know we're not going to be asked to be
collecting any intelligence on Grand Forks Air Force
Base. The workers in the plant will be americans. Can't
imagine anybody in the facility would participate in
that. But while the federal inquiry is underway, so
construction steps will stay on paper for now. James,
Packard Newsy