Senior Trump administration officials announced a plan Tuesday to protect U.S. farmland from Chinese ownership and other threats to American agricultural resources.
“Every family, every home, every community depends upon what our farmers do, and they support and sustain us, not merely by keeping us materially fed, but by keeping us spiritually strong,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a press conference.
“The farm’s produce is not just a commodity, it is a way of life that underpins America itself, and that’s exactly why it is under threat from criminals, from political adversaries, and from hostile regimes that understand our way of life as a profound and existential threat to themselves.”
The new plan seeks to secure U.S. farmland from adversaries like China, ensure a strong supply chain, and protect American agricultural research security – especially after recent attempts by Chinese researchers to smuggle deadly plant pathogens into the United States.
In response to this vulnerability, Rollins said that she had terminated contracts or research arrangements between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and 70 scientists who are citizens of countries of concern, like China.
Last month, two Chinese nationals working in a university laboratory in Michigan were charged with attempting to smuggle a fungus called Fusarium graminearum into the United States in 2024, Just the News reported. The fungus is classified in the scientific literature as a “potential agroterrorism weapon” because it affects wheat, barley, maize, and rice by causing “head blight,” according to the Justice Department.
A Just the News investigation found that these scientists were working for researchers at the laboratory who were receiving funding from the federal government.
She also said that her department “canceled seven active agreements with entities in foreign countries of concern.”
Rollins’ announcement follows years of growing concerns about Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland and the potential threats to national security, including to the food supply chain. Some lawmakers have also raised concerns about the proximity of Chinese-owned land to military bases and sensitive installations.
In recent years, foreign countries, including China, have increased their purchases of American land. In 2023 the federal government assessed that foreign parties held more than 43.4 million acres, of which 48% was forest land, 28% cropland, 21% pasture and other agricultural land, and 2% non-agricultural land.
In response, several states passed legislation targeted at Chinese-owned farmland. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis championed a law banning citizens from foreign countries of corners—like China, Russia, and Iran—from owning farmland in the state.
Steven Richards joined Just the News in August 2023 after previously working as a Research Analyst for the Government Accountability Institute (GAI) in Tallahassee, Florida.
Reprinted with permission from Just The News by Steven Richards.
The opinions expressed by columnists are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of AMAC or AMAC Action.
But does this mean that these countries have to give up their current land holdings? If not, what have we really achieved here?
Need to be on the lookout for American-based corporations acting as fronts for CCP and/or adversarial countries.
Foreigners should not or ever be owners of American Land..(especially near military bases) period. As far as I am concerned anyone who sells American Land to foreigners should be arrested and charged with treason.
I would like to know if US can buy land in China or if it’s not possible. If that’s the case we should band China from doing it.
It is not just securing our supply chain of food, but also keeping us safe & secure from possible Chinese sabotage of VIRUSES INFECTING OUR FARMS, to make us & our animals sick or dead. Another great “foresight” from this smart President to protect us all. He is really blessed by the Holy Spirit with the “wisdom” to serve us effectively. Thank you Lord for saving him for us.
This is main concern that have is security of our farmland and Bill Gates no help for purchased American farmland for CCP.
Not only farmland but also real estate driving prices up that native bread and born can’t afford it. Whole floors of apartments, water front properties, only in America.
As a Realtor, I am curious to know whether there is a nexus between certain real estate agents (some Realtors, some not) and the foreign buyers of this farmland.
There is no reason in this world that the Chinese or any other foreign country should own farmland in the United States. Add to that the Chinese were trying to smuggle in a fungus that could destroy our crops should be grounds to halt all Chinese entry into the United States.
We used to have a system in place that would prevent this type of issue. But globalization and wokey politicians looking to make a buck like the last administration destroyed it.
YES!!!! MORE MAGA and COMMON SENSE!!! Sadly, some shyster judge will block DJT’s protect-America agenda with a BS ruling.
Should be a law that you have to be an American citizen to own property in America.
Question is…Does banning the sale of land to foreign Nations void their previous purchases…Or…are they allowed to keep the land they’ve bought? It has always been a major frustration that these Foreign Nations, some of whom seek to Destroy the USA.. are allowed to own anything within this Nation. We are not given the same right in return! There are many supposed Friendly Nations who still refuse to allow USA to buy land. Time to put a STOP to this and reclaim what lands they’ve bought. I read recently that the Chinese force their people to live under Chinese law on American land! They enforce Chinese Law on American soil!? This is so wrong & should be brought to an immediate halt! Write to your Senators & Representatives and tell them to Get Busy & Stop Procrastinating!
Another of the many topics of essential study necessary should be to determine who, which group charged with protecting national security and at whose specific directions, sat idly by while a giant reconnaissance and observation ballon floated from Alaska to the East Coast over the sovereign land of the United States before someone finally authorized taking it down?
That thing should have been destroyed when it entered the official boundaries of U.S. sovereign soil upon its obviously known initial penetration of American territory. Allowing it to traverse from one coast to the next shold have been considered a traitorous and criminal negligence.
This is a start, it is time for US to stop foreign ownership of land in United States. Take a look at the land ownership in Mexico in the mid 90s and I would think the laws are the same today to keep ownership in Mexico hands.
The government needs to vet foreigners applying for admission to our universities better, especially China after these two “students” were caught bringing in that deadly fungus. I fail to understand how our government lets them “study” here after what happened at the university of Michigan. There should be a more stringent process to keep foreign students out of our educational facilities especially those who are openly anti US.
One very important thing to keep in mind is that just because a person, organization, or corporation is “American” does not mean they are pro American. As we have witnessed in last few years many so called “American” corporations and citizens have shown their true colors and they are NOT real Americans as they have proven that their true intent is to destroy America as we know her.
No foreign company or government should be allowed to own a single inch of US soil. This must be stopped, and all holdings by foreign entities returned to the USA. These countries would never allow the same in their country. Why are we so stupid?
No foreign entity should EVER be allowed to own land in USA.
confiscate previous purchases as well ???
This is a fantastic decision, NO FARMS NO FOOD