Concern mounts as China purchase hundreds of acres of US farmland

A major US Air Force base in North Dakota near where a Chinese company have purchased hundreds of acres of farmland has prompted national security fears.

The land purchased in North Dakota adds to China’s 200 thousand acres according to the Mail on Monday, July 25.

China-based, Fufeng group, plan to build a corn-milling plant on land which is just 20 minutes from the Grand Forks Air Force base in the US.

Fufeng Group is the largest private-owned monosodium glutamate (flavour enhancer) and the second largest xanthan gum producer in Mainland China. Its products include flavour enhancers, xanthan gum, fertilizer, starch, and sugar substitute. Its headquarters are in the Shandong province.

Fufeng Group paid $2.6M (€2.547M) for the land this year.

Fufeng USA chief operating officer Eric Chutorash told CNBC, saying he knew the company ‘absolutely’ would not spy on US military interests.

Chutorash said: “We’re under US law, I’m an American citizen, I grew up my whole life here, and I am not going to be doing any type of espionage activities or be associated with a company that does”

He added: “I know my team feels the exact same way.”