From Fox News: Republican Sen. Pete Ricketts, Democrat Sen. John Fetterman and others are teaming up on legislation to codify oversight on foreign countries buying American farmland.
The bipartisan Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure (AFIDA) Improvements Act seeks to implement recommendations published by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) in January 2024, which found the AFIDA was ill-equipped to combat foreign ownership of American agricultural land.
“American farmland should remain in the hands of American farmers and ranchers, not foreign adversaries,” Ricketts of Nebraska shared first with Fox News Digital. “The neighbors who feed us should benefit from land ownership, not Communist China. Food security is national security.”
The bill, also co-sponsored by Sens. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama, John Cornyn of Texas, Roger Wicker of Mississippi and Rep. Don Bacon of Nebraska introduced legislation, requires AFIDA reporting for foreign persons holding more than one percent interest in American agricultural land.
As of last year, data presented by the U.S. Department of Agriculture revealed that China owned around 350,000 acres of farmland across 27 states.
An effort has also been picking up traction that would ban China from buying up farmland near U.S. military bases.
As for Democrat Sen. Fetterman, as he has repeatedly warned about China buying U.S. farmland.
At a hearing in September 2023, Fetterman declared, “The Chinese government and other U.S. adversaries should own ZERO, ZERO agricultural land in our country… They’re taking back our pandas… We should take back all of their farmland!”
FETTERMAN: “The Chinese government…should own ZERO agricultural land in our country…They’re taking back our pandas! We should take back all of their farmland!” pic.twitter.com/OnF6JSNF7a
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) September 27, 2023
Sen. Tuberville, who is running for governor of Alabama, wrote, “Over the past several decades, China has been buying up American farmland in an attempt to destroy our country. We need to Make American Farmland AMERICAN Again.”
Over the past several decades, China has been buying up American farmland in an attempt to destroy our country.
We need to Make American Farmland AMERICAN Again.https://t.co/m7Qezixyxu
— Coach Tommy Tuberville (@SenTuberville) June 5, 2025
“Agriculture is the heart and soul of Nebraska and of America. American farmland should remain in the hands of American farmers and ranchers, not foreign adversaries. Food security is national security,” Sen. Ricketts said.
Agriculture is the heart and soul of Nebraska and of America. American farmland should remain in the hands of American farmers and ranchers, not foreign adversaries. Food security is national security.https://t.co/i7IU8kVn2A
— Senator Pete Ricketts (@SenatorRicketts) June 5, 2025
“American farmland should remain in the hands of American farmers.”
Republican @SenatorRicketts, Democrat @SenFettermanPA and others are teaming up on legislation that would push strict oversight on foreign countries buying American farmland. China owned around 350,000 acres of… pic.twitter.com/pvBQxsiCP4— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 5, 2025
READ MORE from Fox News.
Arizona lawmakers had recently passed a bill that would block the Chinese from buying up property around military facilities in their state. Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs just VETOED that bill this week.
INSANE MOVE: Dem governor vetoes bill aimed at blocking Chinese land buys near military sites
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