US lawmakers propose a bill to prevent Chinese acquisition of American farmland.

Bipartisan Proposal Aims to Protect U.S. Farmland from CCP Affiliates

A new bipartisan proposal introduced in the U.S. House on May 17 is seeking to block Chinese Communist Party (CCP) affiliates from acquiring U.S. farmland. This legislation, titled the “Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act,” is part of a growing bipartisan push in Congress to counter threats from the regime in Beijing.

What the Legislation Entails

The proposal, introduced by Reps. Dale Strong (R-Ala.) and Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.), would prohibit individuals associated with the Chinese regime and other foreign adversaries from buying or leasing U.S. farmland. This prohibition covers any person or entity “owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary”—including Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia—except for U.S. citizens and permanent residents.

Under the proposal, those covered individuals and entities would be banned from participating in Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs if they have full or partial ownership of U.S. farmland or lease agricultural land in the country, unless it’s related to food safety regulatory requirements or the health and labor safety of individuals.

Why This Legislation is Important

China currently owns 325,686 acres of U.S. agricultural land as of the end of 2020, according to the USDA. While that’s less than 1 percent of the total foreign-held land, the acreage marked a more than 20-fold jump from a decade earlier. This legislation is crucial in protecting America’s farms and farm families from foreign threats, as Rep. Spanberger, a former CIA case officer, notes that her previous work in the intelligence field gave her clarity on the “threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party’s aggressive influence campaigns, as well as its attempts to target U.S. national security interests through seemingly innocuous transactions.”

Support for the Legislation

Sens. Mike Braun (R-Ind.), John Tester (D-Mont.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced a companion version of the measure in the Senate in March. The lawmakers noted that the United States currently lacks accurate data on foreign land ownership and investment because of loopholes and lapses in reporting.

At a March 28 hearing, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack addressed the issue, stating that “there is not a process now for there to be an accumulation of the deeds that are being filed today.” Rep. Mark Alford (R-Miss.) also expressed concern over Chinese ownership of U.S. land, stating that “something has to change.”

This legislation is a crucial step in protecting America’s farmland and national security interests from foreign adversaries, and it’s time for Congress to take action.