Reporting those attempts being made by China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea to purchase farmland across the United States is the goal of legislation introduced Tuesday by U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-IN) and Todd Young (R-IN).
The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would:
- Permanently include the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) with respect to covered transactions involving agricultural land, agricultural biotech, or the transportation, storage, and processing of agricultural products.
- Authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to report both agricultural land transactions that involve foreign persons of China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran, and transactions that require AFIDA reporting to CFIUS.
According to the USDA, over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land is foreign-owned.
Last week, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA-04) introduced similar legislation in the House of Representatives. The House Rules Committee met about this bill on Monday, Sept. 9 and the House is expected to move on this legislation this week.
“Chinese ownership of American farmland increased more than 20-fold in the past decade. The amount of American soil in the hands of our foreign adversaries will only go up if we do not implement restrictions and oversight, especially on nations that compromise our national security and agricultural supply chains. I’m proud to lead this effort to protect American farms and food security,” said Sen. Mike Braun.
“Nearly two-thirds of land in Indiana – and more than half of all land in the United States – is farmland. Recent efforts by China and other adversaries to buy agricultural land across the country could present a national security threat. Indiana is a leader in restricting these purchases, but Congress must act to ensure permanent safeguards are in place in all fifty states,” said Sen. Todd Young.
In addition to Senators Young and Braun, Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), John Tester (D-Mont.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Pete Ricketts (R-Neb.), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), and Deb Fischer (R-Neb.) also joined the legislation.
Earlier this year, lawmakers in the Indiana General Assembly passed a bill that prevents China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and other adversarial countries from owning or leasing farmland in Indiana. That bill was introduced by State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer), signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb, and took effect on July 1.
Indiana’s law also prevents citizens from those specific counties from buying real estate within 10 miles of all military installations across the state.
The Senate bill is sponsored by Indiana Farm Bureau, American Farm Bureau, Indiana Soybean Alliance, and the Indiana Corn Growers Association.
CLICK HERE to read the full text of the Senate bill.
CLICK HERE to read the full text of the House bill.
