Trump administration limits foreign adversaries' purchases of U.S. farmland
- The USDA reported that foreign nationals, particularly from China, own a significant amount of U.S. agricultural land, raising national security concerns.
- The Trump administration's new plan seeks to cancel existing agreements with foreign entities and establish stricter regulations on land ownership by non-U.S. citizens.
- The implications of these policies are profound, as they aim to secure food supply chains and protect U.S. agriculture from foreign adversaries.
In the United States, a significant shift in agricultural policy was introduced as the Trump administration announced a new National Farm Security Action Plan on July 8, 2025. The plan aims to curtail the ability of foreign adversaries, particularly nationals from China, to purchase and control U.S. farmland. The USDA revealed that foreign ownership of agricultural land poses a national security risk, with Chinese nationals currently owning over 265,000 acres across the country. This initiative is not just about food supply but has far-reaching implications for national security as it seeks to safeguard critical infrastructure and domestic food production. The plan outlines various proactive measures, including legislative actions and oversight of farmland transactions, to ensure American agriculture is protected from foreign threats. By removing existing agreements linked to foreign ownership, the administration aims to reassert control over agricultural resources deemed vital to U.S. autonomy and self-sufficiency. Officials emphasized that failure to secure food production could jeopardize the nation's security, making the new action plan a priority for both the USDA and national defense strategies. Overall, this comprehensive approach signifies a broader national effort to reevaluate and reestablish U.S. interests in agriculture and food security amidst escalating tensions with foreign governments.