Foreign ownership and investments in U.S. agricultural land have increased to more than 40 million acres in the last decade, making up just over 3% of all privately held farmland within the U.S., according to the Farm Service Agency. For many legislators, that increase raises concerns over food supply and national security.
Micah Brown, staff attorney for the National Agricultural Law Center, will be presenting on the topic Jan. 18, the NALC’s first webinar of 2023. The webinar, titled “Foreign Ownership of Ag Land: Federal & State Legislative Update,” is set for noon EST/ 11 a.m. CST. There’s no cost to attend and attendees can register online.
“Over the past two years, several proposals have been introduced at the state and federal level that seek to control, prohibit, restrict, or increase oversight on certain foreign investments and acquisitions in the U.S. agricultural industry and private farmland,” Brown said. “Advocates of these restrictions claim that foreign investments in U.S. farmland pose a threat to national security, especially the nation’s food supply. As state and federal legislative sessions kick off, we can expect to see lawmakers introduce proposals that aim at restricting foreign investments in agricultural land.”
A “foreign ownership law” is defined as “a law that restricts certain foreign individuals, foreign entities, or foreign governments from acquiring, transferring, holding, or investing in U.S. real estate, specifically including private agricultural land located within the U.S.” The NALC has resources about foreign investments in agricultural land on its website. The Foreign Investments in Agricultural Land: FAQ & Resource Library can be found here.
“Micah’s research and presentations on foreign ownership and investments are a great resource to those interested in the topic,” NALC Director Harrison Pittman said. “Foreign ownership and investments have increased in recent years, and this webinar will be a great opportunity to learn more about the implications of that. We look forward to kicking off our 2023 webinar series with a presentation on this important topic.”
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit https://nationalaglawcenter.org/ or follow @Nataglaw on Twitter.
