ND North News

U.S. Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND), along with Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), and John Fetterman (D-PA), has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at enhancing food and national security. The Agricultural Risk Review Act seeks to permanently include the Secretary of Agriculture in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) for agriculture-related transactions. This move follows a similar bill that was unanimously passed by the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee.

The legislation is designed to reinforce a key component of the Trump administration’s National Farm Security Action Plan, which had previously added the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS temporarily. CFIUS is responsible for reviewing foreign investments in the United States to assess potential national security risks.

Senator Cramer emphasized the importance of this initiative, stating, “We’ve made tremendous progress over the last few years in our efforts to safeguard our agricultural systems and food supply chains against adversaries.” He highlighted past experiences, such as Grand Forks' dealings with Fufeng, underscoring the necessity of involving the Secretary of Agriculture in these reviews.

Senator Alsobrooks also expressed her support: “Formalizing the Secretary of Agriculture’s role in [CFIUS] is critical to our national security.” She noted Maryland's strategic sites like Fort Meade and Camp David as areas needing protection from foreign threats.

Senator Lummis remarked on Wyoming's interests, saying, “Now more than ever, it is imperative we protect our farmland and secure our food supply.” She stressed that farm and food security are integral to national security.

Additionally, Senator Fetterman reiterated his stance that "Food security is national security," advocating for permanent inclusion of agriculture oversight within CFIUS deliberations concerning land acquisitions impacting American farms.

In 2021, controversy arose when Chinese company Fufeng Group purchased land near Grand Forks Air Force Base due to its ties with China’s Communist Party. Although Senator Cramer opposed this purchase on national security grounds and requested a review by CFIUS, jurisdictional limitations prevented action at that time. However, subsequent expansions have now increased oversight around sensitive military installations including GFAFB.