Washington, D.C. | July 8, 2025
The U.S. government has unveiled a sweeping plan to curb foreign acquisition of American farmland, citing national security threats from China and Iran, including espionage and agroterrorism.
- National Farm Security Action Plan: Unveiled by USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins, the initiative proposes banning Chinese nationals and entities from buying U.S. farmland, especially near military bases.
- Strategic Concern: Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth emphasized the need to monitor land ownership around strategic installations, calling it “a matter of military readiness.”
- Espionage & Agroterrorism: Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel cited recent arrests of Chinese nationals in Michigan for smuggling a known agroterror agent.
- Homeland Security Stance: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem warned that “a country who cannot feed itself cannot secure itself,” citing her earlier legislative action as South Dakota governor banning land sales to adversary states.
- Broader Pattern: Officials warned of Chinese efforts to buy agricultural assets, steal intellectual property, and control food supply chains to undermine U.S. sovereignty.
Context: Over 383,000 acres of U.S. farmland were tied to Chinese interests as of 2021. Federal and state-level restrictions have intensified following repeated concerns over agroeconomic vulnerability and foreign surveillance.
