USDA Secretary Limits Foreign Ownership of Farmland
On Tuesday, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins announced that citizens from China, along with other foreign adversaries, will be prohibited from purchasing U.S. farmland. This measure is part of a broader strategy outlined in the National Farm Security Action Plan.
Rollins explained that the change is driven by concerns related to national and food security. In fact, the USDA has already terminated seven contracts with foreign entities, effectively removing around 70 individuals connected to these deals. Furthermore, the department is actively working to eliminate another 550 foreign companies from its listings.
“Today, we are reclaiming our purpose and American farmland,” Rollins stated. “American agriculture is vital not just for feeding our families, but also for safeguarding our nation against foreign adversaries who acquire our land, compromise our research, and pose serious risks to our systems.”
“Farm produce transcends mere commodity status; it represents a lifestyle foundational to America,” she continued. “That’s precisely why it’s under threat from criminals and hostile political regimes—a challenge we view as a significant, existential concern.”
Rollins emphasized, “To them, our farmland is a weapon against us, rather than a legacy. We witness this repeatedly, from Chinese communist attempts to buy American farmland to criminal infiltration of our agricultural systems and theft of crucial operational data.”
Christie Noem from the Department of Homeland Security echoed similar sentiments, noting the urgent need for the U.S. to remain self-sufficient in food production. “If we don’t manage this ourselves, others could have control over us,” she warned.
She also highlighted the longstanding challenges faced from foreign governments, particularly China, accusing them of theft of intellectual property and unfair trade practices that have persisted for decades.
In 2021, it was reported that approximately 383,000 acres of U.S. land had ties to China, according to Agricultural Dive. This announcement comes on the heels of legislation introduced by Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, aimed at preventing companies associated with the Chinese Communist Party from acquiring or leasing land near military installations.
