Following an initial positive reaction to a proposed corn mill to be owned by Fufeng Company of China located in Grand Forks, NE., public and official sentiment has now turned against the project. A recent letter from Andrew P. Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force, stated that the facility represented a “significant threat to national security.” Accordingly authorities in both Grand Forks and the State of Nebraska have rejected the facility.  At issue is the fact that the plant will be located within 15 miles of a major airbase with near and long-term risks of significant intrusive electronic surveillance of military operations.

The Mayor of Grand Forks has indicated that the City would block construction, deny building permits and refuse to connect city infrastructure to the site. Although he welcomed job creation, the proposed mill in now opposed by Governor Doug Burgum based on security considerations. In addition there is growing negative sentiment regarding commercial ties with China and their ownership of U.S. land.  Obviously the prevailing antagonism to the project has been intensified by the negative publicity associated with the transit of the U.S. by a balloon originating in China with intelligence-gathering capabilities.