Rep. Hinson Takes Lead in Push for Restrictions on Chinese Land Purchases in US

There is a growing concern about corporations affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party purchasing U.S. farmland, prompting congressional lawmakers to take action to further restrict Beijing and other foreign adversaries from acquiring such valuable property.

Rep. Ashley Hinson, R-Iowa, representing the 2nd Congressional District in northeast Iowa, which is primarily agricultural, emphasized the importance of preventing China from purchasing American farmland to safeguard U.S. food supply chains and enhance national security.

Hinson stated, “Communist China should not be permitted to buy any more American farmland, and we should not depend on our top foreign adversary for crucial components of our food supply chain.”

According to data from the Department of Agriculture cited by the Daily Mail, Chinese-linked companies currently own land in 29 states, totaling over 347,000 acres out of the 40 million acres owned by foreign entities. Several states, including Florida, South Dakota, and North Dakota, have recently passed laws to prevent Chinese companies and other foreign entities from owning land within their borders.

One specific incident that spurred action was the acquisition of 300 acres of land in Grand Forks, North Dakota, by the Chinese-based food producer Fufeng Group. This purchase raised concerns due to its proximity to the Grand Forks Air Force Base, where sensitive drone technology is housed.

Rep. Hinson, who serves on the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, as well as the Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the U.S. and the CCP, highlighted key reforms in the Farm Bill aimed at tracking foreign entities’ purchases of U.S. agricultural land more effectively.

The House Farm Bill includes measures to ensure timely data sharing of international land purchases between the USDA and the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), a division of the Treasury Department responsible for reviewing certain foreign investments and real estate transactions with potential national security implications.

In addition, the Farm Bill establishes the position of Chief of Operations of Investigative Actions, responsible for overseeing activities related to the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) and reporting land acquisitions that could pose a national security threat to CFIUS.

The Farm Bill also incorporates language from the bipartisan Securing American Agriculture Act, co-sponsored by Rep. Hinson and Rep. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., to protect the American food and agriculture supply chain from Chinese influence. The bill was passed by the Agriculture Committee with a 33-21 vote.

Hinson expressed pride in collaborating with Agriculture Committee Chair Glenn Thompson, R-Pa., to include initiatives in the House Farm Bill aimed at strengthening the food supply chain and preventing Chinese land acquisitions. She emphasized the importance of food security in national security.