Worries over foreign ownership of U.S. farmland don’t appear to have ebbed in the new year.
Across the Midwest, state lawmakers are proposing ways to prevent foreign companies and individuals from buying agricultural land. New bills have been filed in several states, including Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Missouri and Michigan.
In recent years the issue grabbed headlines and politicians' attention, after Chinese companies bought farmland near military properties in North Dakota and Texas. Last year saw a big uptick in legislation, with proposals introduced in more than 35 states and 10 new states adding restrictions, according to Micah Brown, who tracks the issue as a staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center.
Laws barring foreign ownership of farmland have been on the books in some states since the 1700s, Brown said, and land ownership is even addressed in the Declaration of Independence.
“This issue has popped up at different political flashpoints throughout our nation's history,” he said.
This year, many proposed laws are specifically targeting “foreign adversaries,” including countries like China and Iran. There are also multiple policy proposals related to farmland near military installations.
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