Chinese-Owned Corn Mill Project in ND Raises Flags 

July 4, 2022

A Chinese company’s corn mill project in North Dakota is now becoming a national security story.

Republican members of Congress on Friday introduced legislation to curb China's investment in U.S. agriculture as plans for that mill are drawing more scrutiny.

DTN reports that Chinese conglomerate, Fufeng Group, announced last fall that the company would build a 25-million-bushel corn wet milling plant in Grand Forks. It’s reportedly a $700 million project. Fufeng also bought 370 acres just north of the city. The land also is about 12 miles east of Grand Forks Air Force Base.

Cue Congress.

Reps. Rick Crawford of Arkansas, a member of the House Agriculture Committee, and Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, are spearheading the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act. This piece of legislation looks to ban China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from buying U.S. agricultural companies. 

The concerns over Chinese investment in U.S. agriculture and the proximity to an Air Force base with lots of military technology have all intersected at this corn mill project in North Dakota.

CNBC reported Friday on the Fufeng project quoting the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, Senator Mark Warner a Democrat from Virginia as saying, “We should be seriously concerned about Chinese investment in locations close to sensitive sites, such as military bases around the U.S.” 

For the full story, visit DTN’s website.

Source: DTN, CNBC

Photo Credit: USDA ARS