A group associated with billionaire Bill Gates purchased 2,100 acres of potato farmland in northern North Dakota, and the state's chief prosecutor from locals. I received a complaint and urged me to intervene.
AgWeek quoted public recordsfrom Gates-linked Red River Trust owners of Campbell Farm, a potato farming group headquartered in Grafton, North Dakota. Indicates that you have purchased. It is about 50 miles from the Canadian border.
North Dakota Agricultural Commissioner Doug Goehringtold KFYRthat public reaction to the purchase was largely negative.
"I've heard a lot about this because it's clear across the state, not even from its neighborhood," Goering said.
"These people are upset, but some are just crazy about this."
Gates has a net worth ofof 1,130 by Bloomberg. A billion-dollar tech tycoon and philanthropist, pegged for $ 100 million, he quietly gathered nearly 270,000 acres of farmland nationwide. Press.
Microsoft co-founders are considered the largest private owners of about 269,000 acres of farmland across dozens of states, according to last year's Land Report 100. I am. , The largest annual survey of landowners in the country.
Red River Trust Trustee is Peter Headley, He identifies himself on his LinkedIn page as Head of Agricultural Investment Management at Investment Management. An article in 2020by the NFU Charitable Trustclaimed that Headley once led an entity called "Cottonwood." A platform for Bill and Melinda Gates. "
Earlier this week, North Dakota Attorney General Drew Wrigley wrote to the Red River Trust, which is taking care of Headley, and companies and limited liability companies "owned or owned farmlands and ranches in the state. It is forbidden to lease. " Of North Dakota.
Wrigley wrote that these entities were also forbidden to "engage in agriculture or ranch."
"In addition, the law imposes certain restrictions on the capacity of trusts that own farmland or ranches," the letter said.
Most of the land is unirrigated, but was transferred to the Red River Trust on November 2nd and 3rd last year. The Red River Trust submitted documents to the North Dakota Secretary of State's office on February 15, this year. The entity shares the same address as Campbell Farm.
Trust and Headley were given 30 days to reply to the letter. rice field.
"Our office tells you how your company uses this land and whether this use meets any of the statutory exceptions, such as exceptions for business purposes. We need to confirm, "says the letter.
Gates, In the AskMeAnything session at Reddit last year, his "investment group" was mentioned and linked behind the purchase. Suggested to be in the development of seeds and biofuels.
"The agricultural sector is important," he writes. "More productive seeds can help avoid deforestation and address the climate problems that Africa is already facing. It's unclear how cheap biofuels are, but if they are cheap. Can solve aviation and truck emissions. "
According to the North Dakota Corporate Law or the Agricultural Law of Limited Liability Companies," Land for licensed or business purposes on registered family-owned farms. There are certain exceptions, such as permission to use.
Wrigley's office draws our attention that the Red River Trust "may have acquired land for agriculture or ranch in Pembina County on November 4, 2021." ".
A company or LLC found to be "violating" the law has up to a year to sell from land or face a "up to $ 100,000" fine.
