Hinson Co-leads Effort to Protect US Farmland from Communist China, Strengthen Oversight

Washington, D.C. - Congresswoman Hinson (IA-01) helped introduce the Agricultural Foreign Investment Transparency Act as an original co-sponsor. This legislation, led by Representatives Elise Stefanik (NY-21) and Rick Crawford (AR-01), will address national security concerns over foreign purchases of American agricultural land by increasing oversight of these acquisitions and requiring the Secretary of Agriculture to publicly disclose all new and existing Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act reports online.

"For years, Communist China has been strategically buying up U.S. farmland, including near military bases, threatening our food supply and our national security. This legislation will ensure we have a clear picture of Communist China's plot to control U.S. land and strengthen our oversight of their malicious activity." - Congresswoman Ashley Hinson 

Background:

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland increased from $81 million in 2010 to $1.8 billion in 2020. Reports have shown that Chinese investors are buying farmland near military bases and other critical U.S. infrastructure. This legislation will increase transparency for foreign land acquisition, particularly by our adversaries like Communist China, and help U.S. officials have a better understanding of the threat posed by Chinese efforts to control U.S. farmland. 

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