U.S. Senate Committee on Judiciary

09/25/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 09/25/2024 22:11

VIDEO: Grassley Presses USDA to Act Now to Protect U.S. Farmland

09.25.2024

VIDEO: Grassley Presses USDA to Act Now to Protect U.S. Farmland

WASHINGTON - Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), a lifelong family farmer and a Senate Agriculture Committee member, is urging the Department of Agriculture (USDA) to share with key national security agencies its data on foreign-owned farmland.

"USDA is sitting on a treasure trove of data that federal partners could use to help protect American farmers."

Download video HERE.

In a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Grassley notes the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 - which he cosponsored as a member of the House of Representatives - requires USDA to "collect, track and report reliable data on foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land." To enhance transparency and curtail malign foreign investments, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) issued a January 2024 report recommending USDA share this data with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) in a more timely fashion. While USDA agreed with GAO's recommendations, it has yet to take the necessary steps to address GAO's guidance and improve its data sharing standards.

"It is crucial that USDA continue to improve its processes for collecting, tracking, and reporting data on foreign ownership and investment in U.S. agricultural land. Further, it is essential that USDA provide CFIUS and its member agencies with access to timely and detailed information on these transactions to ensure that all potential national security risks receive a thorough review," Grassley wrote to Vilsack.

Read Grassley's full letter HERE.

Learn more about Grassley's work to protect American farmland through his:

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