U.S. bans China from buying farmland

The U.S. government has announced a nationwide ban on the sale of American farmland to Chinese entities, citing growing national security risks. Knewz.com has learned that Brooke Rollins, Secretary of Agriculture, made the announcement recently at a press conference joined by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. She also announced that the administration is considering measures to reclaim farmland already purchased by companies linked to China, Russia and Iran.

Ban on buying American farmland

Rollins said at the press conference, “American agriculture is not just about feeding our families, but about protecting our nation and standing up to foreign adversaries who are buying our farmland, stealing our research, and creating dangerous vulnerabilities in the very systems that sustain us.” It has been reported that investors based in China currently hold around 280,000 acres of farmland in the U.S., which equates to around 0.03% of total agricultural land. Reports have further mentioned that around half of the land is tied to a company called Smithfield Foods, which is owned by WH Group, a conglomerate owned by billionaire Wang Long.

Foreign-owned farmland near military bases: Cause for concern

Defense Secretary Hegseth emphasized that foreign farmland purchases near sensitive military installations present a cause for concern. He specifically cited concerns over farmland acquired near bases where logistics and food supply lines are critical. He added that blocking the purchase of these lands would help ensure supplies reach soldiers — “especially in a contingency.” Said Hegseth, “No longer can foreign adversaries assume we aren’t watching.” Reports mentioned a controversial land deal in 2022 in which Chinese-owned Fufeng Group bought hundreds of acres for a corn mill around 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force base in North Dakota. State lawmakers have consistently raised concerns that Chinese ownership of American farmland could be exploited for espionage purposes or pose a risk to the nation’s food security.

Loophole in foreign investment rules

The farmland purchase in North Dakota was ultimately blocked by local officials, citing national security concerns, despite no legal mechanism at the time to prevent it under foreign investment rules. The North Dakota case exposed gaps in U.S. law, particularly regarding the oversight of land purchases near military installations not formally designated as sensitive.

Companies push back against the government

Executives from Smithfield and Syngenta, another major agrochemical firm with foreign ownership, have pushed back against the federal government’s framing of the issue. They argued that foreign investment in American farmland has contributed to job creation, regional development and agricultural innovation. Company officials maintain that their operations are fully compliant with U.S. regulations and pose no security threats. However, national security officials made the counter-argument that even passive land ownership by “foreign adversaries” could enable long-term intelligence-gathering efforts or the disruption of food production and logistics during times of conflict.

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