Next News Network

New governmental data reveals that foreign investors procured 3.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land in 2020, an unprecedented trend that escalates towards potentially profound national security implications. The foreign ownership or lease of American landmass now exceeds nearly two percent, marking an alarming shift in territorial dominion.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has stated, “Over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land were held by foreign persons as of December 31, 2022.” This trend escalated so much over the recent years that it has created a significant spike in foreign-controlled wind energy farms across American soil, demonstrating an alarming shift of influence and control over vital American energy resources.

Various nations have staked their claim on U.S. soil. Citizens of the United Arab Emirates, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Iran, Syria, Pakistan, Cuba, and Russia now control thousands of acres each. Particularly intriguing is that one firm that listed its nation as the “State of Palestine” possessed 11,381 acres. Federal scrutiny has recently grown on foreign acquisitions, especially those guided by Chinese investors. One such example being the Chinese food manufacturing firm, the Fufeng Group, that purchased approximately 300 acres within proximity to a key Air Force base in North Dakota.

Efforts have been taken to stem the tide of foreign acquisitions, such as the initiative by South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds, who introduced an amendment blocking China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea from purchasing American farmland. This amendment passed the Senate 91-7 but was later removed in the National Defense Authorization Act’s final text, sparking political outrage among those who perceive such sales as a threat to national security.

Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) voiced his concern, stating “At best, this serves the interests of the companies and other countries, not America’s. At worst, these purchases undermine our security.” He added that with many American farmers reaching retirement age, there is a fear that the trend will only worsen.

Furthermore, foreign interest in U.S land is not just limited to farmland. In 2022, foreign interests added over half a million acres in Alabama, Colorado, and Michigan. Interestingly, a considerable portion of the foreign-held land was forested, with Texas and Maine housing the most extensive foreign-held acreage, primarily timberland.

Among foreign investors, Canadian interests dominated, followed by the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Although Chinese holdings constituted less than 1% of the total foreign-held acres, the increase in Chinese-controlled land from 2006 is alarmingly over 15 times more.

The USDA’s data insinuates an emerging trend of foreign-controlled energy companies acquiring large areas of cropland for wind and solar purposes. There has been a significant spike in the foreign-controlled agricultural land allotment for non-agricultural purposes, which now totals nearly one million acres.

As America faces the realities of this drastic shift, the nation stands poised on the precipice of a financial, territorial, and security conundrum. A battle is raging over the very soil that forms the foundation of America, a pivotal issue that cannot be understated or ignored due to potential national security implications and the altering of a bedrock aspect of America’s economic independence. We need to acknowledge our discomfort with the theory of American land increasingly falling into the hands of foreign entities, as the sage advice dictate us – possession, after all, is a significant portion of sovereignty.”