Stopping the CCP from Overtaking U.S. Food Supply  

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In recent years, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has engaged in a troubling new power grab that could jeopardize the future of America’s food security.  Companies connected to the CCP are amassing hundreds of thousands of acres of farmland in the United States while simultaneously applying unfair business practices to undercut American agricultural supply companies.     

China now owns 277,336 acres of agricultural land in the United States – and Americans are rightfully concerned. Polling shows that as the amount of land owned by Chinese companies rises, so does the concern of the American people. According to a recent survey from the Protecting America Initiative, 63% of Americans see China buying U.S. agricultural land as a threat. 

The CCP is engaged in a long-term campaign bent on world dominance. As Chinese President Xi Jinping put it, the CCP seeks “the eventual demise of capitalism and the ultimate victory of socialism.”  

The Chinese government’s acquisition of America’s food supply is a part of this vision of the future. State legislatures are now the front line of the fight to protect our agricultural base.  

State Legislative Proposals to Counteract This Threat

State legislatures are the first line of defense against China’s efforts to attack our food supply. State governments can block the purchase of certain types of land by foreign adversaries and take steps to protect companies that make critical agriculture products domestically.  

The following is a list of legislation that has been introduced or enacted in states across the country to protect American farmers and our food supply from the CCP. These bills represent model legislation that should be championed in every state across the country.  

Legislation to Prohibit Land Sales to Adversaries   

Alabama HB 379 specifically prohibits the governments of countries of concern from purchasing agricultural land, critical infrastructure, or property near military installations. Countries of concern under the bill include China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia. Similar bills have been introduced or enacted around the country, including:  

Legislation Protecting American Agriculture Manufacturers

Missouri Bill HB544 and SB14 were recently reintroduced. This legislation provides special protections for American agriculture manufacturers, which are critical to ensuring that our food supply isn't threatened by China. States must make sure that critical agriculture products are produced domestically. If Chinese companies corner the market on critical agriculture products, they will have the ability to outright control our food supply.  

Legislation Providing New Investigation Authority 

In 2023, Arkansas became an early leader in protecting American agricultural land from foreign ownership with the enactment of SB 383, which bars prohibited foreign parties from owning agricultural land and establishes a dedicated office within the Department of Agriculture to investigate potential violations of the law. Months later, the law was successfully employed to force the divestment of agricultural land owned by Syngenta Seeds, whose parent company appears on a Department of Defense list of Chinese military companies.   

Legislation Creating Public Land Auction Restrictions 

West Virginia’s SB 548 restricts foreign nationals who are from countries of concern from bidding in any public land auctions. The legislation takes the next step beyond barring Chinese companies located in adversarial nations from buying agricultural land and bans all individuals in those nations from buying any public land sold by the state. The bill sends a strong message that the states will not sacrifice short term financial expediency for national security. 

Legislation Mandating Disclosure and Reporting 

In general, foreign investors who acquire, transfer, or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land are required to report their holdings and transactions under the federal Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA). States have also passed similar reporting requirements mandating the timely disclosure of foreign land ownership. SF 2204 in Iowa requires foreign holders of agricultural land to file a biennial report with the secretary of state, with civil penalties for failure to file or the filing of false information. The secretary of state is also directed to prepare an annual summary of foreign landholding for the governor and the general assembly. 

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In the coming weeks, the Protecting America Initiative will catalog more bills from around the country that would have a tangible effect on China’s interests in the United States. As legislatures begin their 2025 sessions, enacting these proven bills would send a strong message to the CCP that their interference in America will not be tolerated.  

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