A Chinese investment in a North Dakota corn mill facility was formally approved by a U.S. federal government body last month, but there is continued political pressure to block the investment. A U.S. Air Force official has now weighed in with concerns.

A bicameral, bipartisan group of members of Congress has introduced legislation to "protect America’s agricultural industry from improper foreign investment," with Chinese farmland purchases as a key target.

Last week, South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem and some legislators announced proposed legislation to restrict foreign purchases of agricultural land in South Dakota, with Chinese purchases as the main focus.

Republicans in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the Senate have proposed legislation that would restrict investment from China, Iran, North Korea and Russia in U.S. agricultural land and businesses.

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee held a confirmation hearing today for agriculture negotiator Douglas McKalip, and during the hearing McKalip brought up the issue of Chinese restrictions on urea and similar products.

A new Staff Research Report published by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, which often takes a tough line on China trade issues, examines the scope of Chinese investment in U.S. agriculture and sets out certain risks that may arise. The evidence provided in the report

At the recent U.S. – China High Level Agricultural Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, U.S. Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns offered his thoughts on U.S.-China relations broadly and on agriculture trade specifically.