By Andi Anderson
US lawmakers have introduced the Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense (FARMLAND) Act, a bipartisan bill designed to protect American farmland from foreign ownership.
The bill, introduced by Rep. Kristen McDonald Rivet (D-MI) and Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA), seeks to strengthen national security and food supply protection.
The FARMLAND Act would authorize the Committee on Foreign Investment in the US (CFIUS) to review foreign farmland purchases or leases exceeding $5 million or 320 acres. It also requires the Secretaries of Agriculture and Homeland Security to issue an annual report on national security risks posed by foreign farmland investments.
The bill mandates the USDA to create a public database of all farmland owned by foreign entities and limits foreign-owned land from participating in Farm Service Agency programs.
Senators Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are introducing similar legislation in the Senate. Supporters argue that foreign investments, particularly from China, pose risks to national security and food production. McDonald Rivet emphasized that preventing foreign entities from controlling American farmland is crucial for national interests.
Under current laws, the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) requires foreign investors to report farmland acquisitions. However, enforcement has been weak, with China’s farmland ownership increasing by 30% between 2019 and 2020. The FARMLAND Act seeks to modernize reporting processes and strengthen enforcement, ensuring farmland remains in the hands of American farmers.
With growing concerns over foreign land acquisitions, the bill aims to close security loopholes and protect the future of US agriculture and rural communities.
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Categories: Michigan, Government & Policy