From the Washington Post: U.S. Department of Agriculture chief Brooke Rollins announced Tuesday that the U.S. government will move to ban sales of farmland nationwide to buyers tied to China and other foreign adversaries, citing threats to national security and food security — an effort that casts uncertainty over property currently held by China-linked investors.
Asked whether the U.S. government would seek to take back existing land owned by Chinese investors, Rollins said they are looking at “every available option” as part of a clawback effort and that an executive order from the White House will probably follow “very soon.”
In a joint news conference with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi L. Noem, Rollins said that the USDA will also work with state legislators to quickly push through laws that will ban further purchases, with a particular focus on parcels of land near U.S. military bases.
The new land ownership regulations also apply to Russia and Iran, but the effort is largely targeted at China.
The report further explains: China-linked investors currently own 265,000 acres of U.S. land, according to USDA data, much of which is tied to a single company — Smithfield Foods, which was acquired in 2013 by WH Group, a Chinese conglomerate led by tycoon Wan Long.
USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan, announced today under @SecRollins‘ Make Agriculture Great Again initiative, safeguards our food supply, strengthens infrastructure, & defends U.S. ag innovation from foreign adversaries.
🔗https://t.co/8wl5YfIzju pic.twitter.com/cqRv4PU6Th
— Dept. of Agriculture (@USDA) July 8, 2025
In partnership with the @DeptofDefense, @DHSgov, and @TheJusticeDept – USDA is TODAY announcing a National Farm Security Action Plan!@USDA is taking action because farm security IS national security. pic.twitter.com/iTuomtV5AL
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) July 8, 2025
“Too much American farmland is owned by Chinese nationals — Enough is enough. It’s time to take back our land.🇺🇸,” Rollins declared, sharing a video clip from a Cabinet meeting with President Trump earlier on Tuesday.
Too much American farmland is owned by Chinese nationals — Enough is enough.
It’s time to take back our land.🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/O3PvfgvpBz
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) July 8, 2025
Below is the entire press conference which took place Tuesday morning as Rollins announced the new effort to stop China from buying up American land.
READ MORE from the Washington Post.
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