An internal investigation revealed that the Biden administration is failing to track foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, with the USDA not consistently sharing timely data on foreign investments in farmland as required by law.
The U.S. Government Accountability Office found that the USDA’s failure to comply with the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act creates potential national security risks.
The report highlighted the lack of reliable information about foreign ownership of agricultural land and potential consequences for national security.
This report confirms our worst fear: the USDA has no idea who owns what land and where, and they have no plan to rectify it.
Food security is national security, and we cannot allow foreign adversaries to influence our food supply while we stick our heads in the sand. https://t.co/cUXs2fsGi1
— Rep. Dan Newhouse (@RepNewhouse) January 19, 2024
The investigation was prompted by the USDA’s estimate that foreign investment in American agricultural land had grown to around 40 million acres in 2021.
“The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not share timely data on foreign investments in agricultural land collected under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978, as amended (AFIDA),” the GAO report reads.
The report also raised concerns about foreign ownership near sensitive military installations.
“These investments may have consequences for U.S. national security,” the report noted. “For example, there may be foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land close to sensitive military installations.”
“Tianqiao Chen has been staring us straight in the face for almost a decade,” Land Report wrote.
Additionally, the investigation followed the revelation that a Chinese billionaire had become the second-largest foreign owner of U.S. farmland.
Members of Congress have demanded increased government accountability and emphasized the need to protect American agricultural security.
Rep. Dan Newhouse vowed to introduce measures to address the USDA’s internal reporting and data management flaws.
“Communist China is purchasing U.S. agricultural land to subvert our sovereignty, undermine our agriculture industry, encroach on our military installations, and upend America’s rural communities,” Rep. Elise Stefanik said.
“While we learn more about the specifics around this unfolding situation, it highlights the need for Congress to do more to protect American agricultural security and prevent our foreign adversaries from controlling our country’s food supply while also gaining access to land near sensitive military sites,” Sen. Jon Tester said.
“This report confirms one of our worst fears: that not only is the USDA unable to answer the question of who owns what land and where, but that there is no plan by the department to internally reverse this dangerous flaw that affects our supply chain and economy,” Newhouse stated. “Food security is national security, and we cannot allow foreign adversaries to influence our food supply while we stick our heads in the sand.”
He promised to “introduce measures aimed at fixing USDA’s internal reporting and data management to identify to Congress, and the American people, exactly who is investing in the over 40 million acres of U.S. farm land reported to have ties to foreign actors.”
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