By Jenny Schlecht and April Baumgarten

U.S. Secretary of Treasury Scott Bessent is not the only member of the Trump cabinet to report substantial holdings in farmland. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, also the former North Dakota governor, disclosed numerous pieces of farmland in both North Dakota and Minnesota in his Public Financial Disclosure Report.

However, Burgum did not say he would divest of all of the properties.

He listed ownership of Pelican Lake Farm in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, 7S Ranch in Slope County, North Dakota, and parcels in Cass County, North Dakota, and Clay County, Minnesota — collectively known as Tallgrass Trail — as properties in which he would continue to have a financial interest. For the Pelican Lake Farm property, he said he would “receive only rent or royalties pursuant to the crop share agreement” on the land. On the 7S and Tallgrass Trail properties, he said he would “receive only passive investment income from it.”

In all three cases, he said he would not “participate personally and substantially in any particular matter that to my knowledge has a direct and predictable effect on the financial interests of” the properties without first obtaining a written waiver.

Burgum did indicate he would divest in his financial interest in the Burgum Farm Partnership, with crop, land and mineral interests in Cass County and Williams County, North Dakota, and his ownership interest of Laurel Road LLC, which holds oil and gas leases in McKenzie County and Williams County, North Dakota, within 90 days of his confirmation.

Burgum also said in his disclosure letter he would resign from several positions he held and would become a “non-managing member.” That includes vice president for the board of directors at Arthur Cos., a grain and agronomy business, and managing partner for Arthur Ventures.

Burgum created Arthur Ventures to invest in software startups.

His letter said he would resign from his post at Kilbourne Group, a real estate development company he founded. Kilbourne had a large role in redeveloping downtown Fargo.

Burgum told The Forum after becoming governor in 2016 that he would step down from his leadership position at Kilbourne but would retain his investments.

Burgum plans to keep his investments in Arthur Cos., Arthur Ventures, Kilbourne and the Downtown Fargo Real Estate Fund, a group of investors that developed the Broadway Square and RDO Tower in downtown Fargo. He will divest his assets in several other companies, including Apple, Netflix, Microsoft, Verizon, Xcel Energy, oil and gas company ONEOK and Meta, which owns Facebook.

Burgum was North Dakota’s governor from 2016 to 2024. He opted not to run for governor again after a failed bid for president.

The Republican also campaigned for President Donald Trump before Trump was elected a second time last year. Trump announced Burgum as his interior secretary nominee on Nov. 14, 2024.

Burgum was confirmed Jan. 30. On April 30, he filed his Ethics Agreement Compliance Certification, saying he had completed all resignations and divestitures required of him.

Along with founding Arthur Ventures and Kilbourne, Burgum is known for leading Great Plains Software, a Fargo-based company he eventually sold to Microsoft.

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