ARKANSAS, USA — Attorney General (AG) Tim Griffin announced that Syngenta Seeds has paid Arkansas a $280,000 fine after "violating Act 1046 of 2021," according to a news release.
What does this mean?
According to officials, because Syngenta is "foreign-owned," the company is required to report its "ownership of agricultural land," to the Secretary of the Arkansas Department of Agriculture. AG Griffin says the company did not file the required report on time, resulting in a "civil penalty," of $280,000. This is 25% of "the fair market value of the 160 acres in Craighead County," according to the release.
AG Griffin released the following statement in regard to the payment saying in part,
"Now Syngenta must divest itself of the land it owns in Craighead County. This serves as a warning to all other Chinese state-owned companies operating in Arkansas—I am investigating these types of properties throughout the state and will exercise all powers afforded to my office under the law. As a 27-year Army officer, I can state unequivocally that our concerns over Chinese interests in America’s strategic assets are well-founded and demand action.”
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