SIOUX FALLS — South Dakota agriculture industry groups aren’t sold on Gov. Kristi Noem’s idea of having a government board sign off on land transfers involving foreign governments.

But her administration isn’t backing down despite opposition from the influential ag lobby. And this weekend, it made the pitch directly to one of the groups opposing the proposal.

“It’s also our duty to protect South Dakota ag land from national security threats. And the greatest external threat facing our nation is the Chinese Communist Party,” Lt. Gov. Larry Rhoden said Saturday while addressing the 37th Annual South Dakota Corn Conference. “Unfortunately, foreign countries now own over 40 million acres of ag land in the United States, and that number is increasing every year as hostile countries like China step up their game.”

The South Dakota Corn Grower’s Association is among 12 organizations listed in an email sent to the governor’s office opposing the creation of a Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) — South Dakota, the proposed board that Noem wants vetting ag land purchases by foreign entities.

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