Farming

Shortlysts -   Lawmakers are advancing a new wave of legislation to stop foreign adversaries, especially China, from buying American farmland and property near military or critical infrastructure sites. One proposal introduced by Representative John Moolenaar would expand federal authority to block land purchases from countries deemed national security threats, while another bill, the Stop CCP Land Act, pressures states to adopt their own bans or risk losing access to certain federal funding programs.

The legislation targets several countries, including China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, on the belief that current federal oversight leaves major gaps around farmland purchases, infrastructure access, and land located near sensitive military facilities.

For years, there has been growing concern across the United States about Chinese land acquisitions, particularly near air bases, telecommunications infrastructure, and agricultural regions. Several states have already passed restrictions on foreign ownership, but supporters of the bills contend that individual state laws alone are not enough to address what they see as a national security issue.