Across-the-aisle federal legislation would ban the purchase or lease of U.S. farmland by people associated with the Chinese Communist Party and other foreign adversaries such as Iran, North Korea and Russia, according to a release this week from Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-7th.
She is co-sponsor with Alabama Republican Rep. Dale Strong of the “Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act.” The bill would address gaps in the Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to increase transparency and accurate reporting of foreign land ownership in the United States.
“America can no longer turn a blind eye to the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party,” Strong said in a statement. “As the CCP looks to exploit weaknesses in our free and open society, it is our responsibility to ensure that the American people are protected against those who seek to undermine our national interest. This legislation is crucial to ensure our adversaries do not interfere with our food and fiber market by owning agriculture land.”
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Spanberger said she recognizes the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party’s “aggressive influence campaigns,” as well as attempts to target national security interests through “seemingly innocuous transactions.”
“As the only Virginian on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, I’m committed to protecting America’s farms and farm families from foreign threats,” she said. “If buying up American farmland is a tool for eroding our nation’s food security, economic security, and national security, then we need to be prepared to take steps to push back against these efforts.”
Currently, the U.S. lacks data on foreign land ownership and investment due to loopholes and inaccurate reporting, according to Spanberger’s release.
The measure would, in addition, prohibit people associated with governments of foreign adversaries from participating in certain USDA programs.
