Newhouse defends American farmland from foreign adversaries

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The week of June 12, Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) introduced an amendment to the Agriculture and Rural Development Appropriations bill that will require the Secretary of Agriculture to take necessary actions to prohibit the purchase of U.S. agricultural land by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Russia, North Korea, or Iran. His amendment was adopted by a vote of 34 to 26.

“Increased ownership of U.S. farmland by countries who are not our allies is an alarmingly growing trend that poses a risk to our national and economic security.

“For example, according to the USDA, the Chinese Communist Party currently owns over 380,000 acres of farmland in the United States, which is worth about $2 billion. But even more shocking than that is the trend: the CCP has increased their purchases by a factor of 10 over the last decade. This poses an immediate threat to U.S. national security and food security.

“When I talk to the many farmers and landowners in my district, they express deep concern about this encroachment of our land from foreign adversaries. They agree; we can no longer ignore the writing on the wall, and we must act to stop this threat now before it becomes too late.

“My amendment would bolster Section 765 by directing the Secretary of Agriculture to take any actions necessary to prohibit the purchase of U.S. agricultural land by nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, or any agent, trustee, or fiduciary associated with Russia, North Korea, Iran, or the Community Party of China.

“This clarity is necessary because adversaries like the CCP will take every opportunity they can to threaten democracy, our republic, and our way of life, including our agricultural supply chains.”