New bipartisan legislation before Congress is seeking to add a new layer of scrutiny to acquisitions of US farmland and agricultural industry by nations that are viewed as hostile to American interests.
The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would add the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and seek to halt the purchase of farmland by foreign adversaries including China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. The bill’s co-sponsors highlight U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) data that shows 43.4 million acres of US agricultural land is foreign owned.
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), who introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives, was particularly concerned about the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) having ownership on US farmland.
“The CCP has been quietly purchasing American agricultural land at an alarming rate, and this bill is a crucial step towards reversing that trend,” said Newhouse. “We know that USDA’s foreign purchase tracking is wildly flawed, and by adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS, we can begin to correct course. Food security is national security, and it is incumbent upon us to keep our adversaries far away from the lands that feeds our country, and the world.”
“Allowing land purchases from foreign adversaries to go unchecked poses a great risk to national security and encroaches on America’s natural resources,” said Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID), one of the bill’s Senate co-sponsors.
Other senators co-sponsoring the bill include Mike Braun (R-IN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Joe Manchin (I-WV), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Jon Tester (D-MT), Roger Marshall (R-KS), John Fetterman (D-PA), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), John Barrasso (R-WY), Katie Britt (R-AL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Todd Young (R-IN), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA) and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY).
While the bill has already passed the House, its fate in the Senate is unsure. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson had questioned whether Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will allow the bill to be considered.
“I mean, Chuck Schumer just has his own calculation, he makes his own analysis,” Johnson said in an interview with AgWeek. “There are dozens and dozens of really great bills that have passed out of the House with bipartisan vote totals that Chuck Schumer won’t let see the light of day. I’ll work with anybody to do good and I’m hopeful that Leader Schumer will understand the importance of this issue and that he will bring this up for a vote.”
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US Farm Land should never be owned by foreign companies so they can regulate our food production. This is only problems for America and the citizens. This should never been allowed to happen in the first place.
Schumer is corrupted. Has been for decades. How else can it be justified that he does not let a bill that protects the homeland and especially our farmlands, especially the ones close to missile bases, be presented favorably, voted on and passed. G-d protect us from evil!
It is absolutely beyond imagination that foreign countries own farmland here. It is bad enough that fabulous buildings have already been purchased, such as the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan, but now our farmland too??!! Revolting!! I’ve tried to explain this to people I know who do not believe it. Anybody in their right mind who loves our country would Never believe this is acceptable! It has got to stop, and what has happened already needs to be reversed. It doesn’t matter what party you favor.
None of our land should be purchased by foreign countries. Let alone our enemies of foreign countries.!!! is our government retarded??
As a Fourth generation farmland owner and farmer:
My ancestors fought in the Revolutionary War, pioneered in Texas and S.E. Missouri.
We have owned family farm land for over 120 years.
We have paid estate taxes on some of this original land FOUR times. (sounds crazy I know!)
In my opinion, farm land should not be owned by any government.
If we want to preserve independent, American owned farmland we have to do a better job of preserving our independent, American farms and farmers.
It’s stupid our country allows non-citizens to buy any kind of real estate here, most especially farm land! If you’re an American trying to buy a house or farm land in any foreign country you’ll be faced with all types of obstacles! Or stupid govt leaders most of which are corrupt as hell, so many are compromised & allow this insanity to happen, follow the money.