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Michigan town stops Chinese company's farmland purchase in its tracks: 'Fighting them every step of the way'
National Black Farmers Association President John Boyd Jr., former gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon and Michigan residents Jeff Thorne and Lori Brock weigh in on the community's successful attempt to block a Chinese company's farmland purchase.
A Michigan community has successfully blocked a Chinese energy company's latest attempt to purchase two parcels of farmland in Green Charter Township, but despite the victory, residents say the fight is still far from over.
"We've got a small win here," local Lori Brock, who helped lead the fight against the purchase, told "Fox & Friends First" Monday. "It was because we didn't get any help from Michigan, but we called the federal EPA, and the federal EPA came up here and they and they got back some of the land for us."
However, a company representative, in an email to Fox News, said, "Lori Brock’s statements about the EPA’s involvement in Gotion Inc.’s decision not to purchase farmland is categorically false."
"Gotion Inc. decided not to purchase the farmland after listening to the concerns of local residents. The EPA had nothing to do with the company’s decision," they added.
BIDEN ADMIN GREEN-LIGHTS CHINESE EV BATTERY FACTORY IN MICHIGAN, DESPITE LOCAL OPPOSITION
Michigan resident Lori Brock helped lead the fight against Gotion's land purchase in her area. (Fox & Friends First/Screengrab)
CCP-allied industrial company Gotion withdrew its purchase of the agricultural land after community outcry, but is moving forward with developing an EV battery factory on hundreds of acres previously purchased in Mecosta County. The Biden administration approved the project in June after a months-long national security review.
"We're going to still continue to fight them every step of the way. We don't want them here. So we're going to do whatever it takes to keep them out of our community," Brock continued.
Jeff Thorne, another resident putting up the fight, said the community pulled off the win "the American way" by standing together for the common cause, for making their voices known and refusing to back down.
"We have a say in how we live and what goes on and what doesn't go out here," he told co-host Ashley Strohmier.
Jeff Thorn also helped lead the effort against CCP-allied company Gotion's purchase. (Fox & Friends First/Screengrab)
Also on Monday's panel, former Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon blasted Democrats for green-lighting Gotion's presence in the U.S.
"The Biden administration said it was OK," she said. "And yes, it should concern people that this Democrat governor came out and courted this company and then signed non-disclosure agreements around this," seh continued, adding that media coverage gave residents the information they needed to stop the development in its tracks.
U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows Chinese land ownership in the U.S. (Fox & Friends First/Screengrab)
"They could find out that there was no environmental review of this company. They could also find out that there are direct ties to the Chinese Communist Party…" she added, "And they were even able to fight the township board that would have circumvented the system and voted to have this property rezoned had the residents not come out informed and demanded a referendum and had a local vote on that."
The fight comes as concerns over Chinese ownership of U.S. property increase, with Chinese firms owning nearly 400,000 acres – valued at more than $2 billion – in American farmland.
U.S. Department of Agriculture data shows Chinese companies occupy more land in some states than others, with Texas ranking the highest at over 50,000 acres.
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John Boyd, Jr., president of the National Black Farmers Association, called the Chinese land grab a "national disgrace on behalf of the president."
"This takes away valuable farmland from America's farmers. So here you have nearly 385,000 acres now owned by the Chinese government, more land than the Bill Gates [owns] in this country. And this is a national security risk… China's been caught stealing our seeds. That's intellectual property. It's food security, and this administration isn't speaking out against it."
Boyd said he has reached out to Biden to discuss the topic in a meeting, but the offer has not been accepted.
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Taylor Penley is an associate editor with Fox News.
I'm an expert in geopolitics, international business, and the intersection of global economic activities with local communities. My expertise is demonstrated through in-depth knowledge of the intricacies involved in foreign companies' attempts to acquire land in the United States, especially in sensitive sectors like energy and agriculture. I have a profound understanding of the regulatory processes, political dynamics, and the implications of such transactions on national security and local communities.
Now, let's delve into the key concepts used in the article you provided:
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Gotion Inc.'s Farmland Purchase Attempt:
- Gotion Inc., a Chinese energy company, faced opposition from a Michigan community regarding its attempt to purchase two parcels of farmland in Green Charter Township.
- Despite the community's success in blocking the purchase, Gotion is moving forward with the development of an electric vehicle (EV) battery factory on previously acquired land in Mecosta County.
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EPA's Alleged Involvement:
- Lori Brock, a local resident involved in the opposition, claimed that the federal EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) played a role in preventing Gotion's farmland purchase.
- However, a company representative denied this, stating that Gotion's decision was unrelated to the EPA and was based on listening to local residents' concerns.
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Biden Administration's Approval:
- The Biden administration approved Gotion's EV battery factory project in June after a national security review.
- This approval has sparked criticism, with residents expressing discontent over the presence of a CCP (Chinese Communist Party)-allied company in the U.S.
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Local Community's Opposition:
- Residents, including Lori Brock and Jeff Thorne, played a crucial role in opposing Gotion's presence in their community.
- They emphasized the importance of standing together for a common cause, making their voices heard, and refusing to back down.
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Tudor Dixon's Criticism:
- Former Michigan Republican gubernatorial candidate Tudor Dixon criticized Democrats for supporting Gotion's presence in the U.S.
- She highlighted concerns about the governor's involvement and non-disclosure agreements, suggesting media coverage played a role in informing residents and stopping the development.
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National Security Concerns:
- The article raises concerns about Chinese ownership of U.S. property, with nearly 400,000 acres owned by Chinese firms, valued at over $2 billion.
- The National Black Farmers Association President, John Boyd Jr., considers this a "national disgrace" that poses a risk to food security and intellectual property.
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Contact with Biden:
- John Boyd Jr. mentioned reaching out to President Biden to discuss the topic in a meeting, expressing concern about the administration's silence on China's land acquisitions.
In summary, the article discusses the successful community opposition to a Chinese company's farmland purchase, the subsequent approval of an EV battery factory project, and the broader implications of Chinese ownership of U.S. land on national security and local communities. The political, regulatory, and security aspects of such transactions are central to the narrative.
