Lummis Cosponsors Legislation to Protect Farms out West from Foreign Land Purchases

September 12, 2024

Senate Western Caucus Chair Cynthia Lummis (R-WY) joined Senator Mike Braun (R-IN) and 15 of their colleagues in introducing the bipartisan Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. This legislation increases oversight and flags agricultural land purchases made by foreign adversaries. This added layer of scrutiny impacts U.S. farmland acquisitions by China, North Korea, Russian and Iran and will protect western agriculture producers from being taken over by our adversaries.

"The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has invaded the west through farmland acquisition threatening the livelihood and safety of Wyoming residents. Food security is national security, and our country must prioritize keeping American farmland out of the hands of our enemies," said Sen. Lummis.

"Chinese ownership of American farmland increased more than 20-fold in the past decade. The amount of American soil in the hands of our foreign adversaries will only go up if we do not implement restrictions and oversight, especially on nations that compromise our national security and agricultural supply chains. I'm proud to lead this effort to protect American farms and food security," said Sen. Braun.

"The Chinese Communist Party has proven over and over again they cannot be trusted. They are our adversary, not our ally. All Americans should be alarmed by the amount of American farmland China and other foreign entities own. Giving our adversaries any control over our agricultural resources is a direct threat to our national and food security. Senator Braun's legislation will help protect America's farms and safeguard our food supply," said Sen. Barrasso.

Senators John Barrasso (R-WY), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Pete Ricketts (R-NE), Deb Fischer (R-NE), Joni Ernst (R-IA), all members of the Senate Western Caucus, cosponsored this legislation.

The Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024 would:

• Permanently include the Secretary of Agriculture as a member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) with respect to covered transactions involving agricultural land, agricultural biotech or the transportation, storage and processing of agricultural products.
• Authorize the Secretary of Agriculture to report both agricultural land transactions that involve foreign persons of China, North Korea, Russia or Iran and transactions that require AFIDA reporting to CFIUS.

The House passed the companion bill, introduced by Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA), this week.