Our view: Fufeng does some good in North Dakota

A lot of time, effort and money was spent in an attempt to land a corn mill that wanted to operate along Grand Forks’ northern edge. Along with those expenditures came something that hurts even more – a divide that has grown between some residents and local government.

The project eventually was abandoned by the city when the U.S. Department of the Air Force declared the mill and its owner –

China-based Fufeng Group

– a threat to national security, due to its proximity to Grand Forks Air Force Base.

But despite the decision to close that conversation, the aftereffects linger. They probably will for some time.

That’s why we’re pleased Gov. Doug Burgum has signed two bills related to foreign entities purchasing land in North Dakota.

On April 20, Burgum signed House Bill 1135,

which will ban foreign governments and businesses that they control from buying ag land in the state.

Later, he signed Senate Bill 2371,

which declares county and city boards, “including a board in a home rule county, may not procure, authorize, or approve a development agreement, building plan, or proposal relating to county development with an individual or government identified as a foreign adversary” by the U.S. secretary of commerce.

The ban doesn’t apply if a registered business owned by an adversary has maintained “good standing” with the state for seven years or longer, has been approved by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S., or maintains an active national security agreement with the federal government.

Notably, Senate Bill 2371 allows for longtime existing businesses to continue to work in the state. We can think of one – the Cirrus plant in Grand Forks – that will benefit from those important bullet points. Cirrus deserves to continue as a business of good standing in our community.

Most important is that there is now guidance to help city and county governments avoid the snags that came with the Fufeng proposal. While many wanted the city to walk away from Fufeng, it was difficult to do so, considering there were no laws against it and that CFIUS said the proposal was outside of its jurisdiction. We believe local leaders were put in a tough spot due to lack of laws and precedent, as well as lack of guidance from the federal level and the Air Force.

Going forward, it appears this won’t be an issue, and that’s important.

It’s obvious Grand Forks’ Fufeng odyssey was the genesis for these new laws. Similar laws are popping up in other states, too.

Whether one agrees with SB 2371 and HB 1135, or whether one agrees that adversarial countries should be banned from ownership of North Dakota property, at least we can say this: Tighter guidelines are now in place, and those guidelines should help communities throughout North Dakota – and elsewhere – avoid the divisiveness and draining of time and resources that accompanied the Fufeng project here in Grand Forks.