South Dakota Republican Governor Kristi Noem introduced new legislation Tuesday to prevent the purchase of farm and agriculture land by hostile foreign entities.
According to Noem's office, the proposal will create a "Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States – South Dakota (CFIUS-SD), which will investigate proposed purchases of ag land by foreign interests and recommend either approval or denial to the Governor."
“With this new process, we will be able to prevent nations who hate us – like Communist China – from buying up our state’s agriculture land,” Noem released in a statement. “We cannot allow the Chinese Communist Party to continue to buy up our nation’s food supply, so South Dakota will lead the charge on this vital national security issue.”
Today, I announced plans to prevent nations who hate us (like Communist China) from buying up our state’s agriculture land. We can’t allow the Chinese Communist Party to buy up our nation’s food supply, so South Dakota will lead the charge on this vital national security issue. pic.twitter.com/rxl5DlThdu
— Governor Kristi Noem (@govkristinoem) December 13, 2022
Current South Dakota law already restrictions foreign ownership of agricultural property to 160 acres.
The move comes after a Chinese Communist Party connected food company purchased property just outside of a U.S. Air Force base near Grand Forks, North Dakota. When asked about whether the Biden administration is concerned about the CCP purchasing land around military installations, White House National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby said it was an issue of real estate and above his pay grade.
John Kirby flat-out REFUSES to answer a question about Chinese ownership of real estate near U.S. military installations because "the question of home ownership is a little bit out of [his] swim lane." pic.twitter.com/7MWORy3K0V
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 13, 2022