On July 8, the Trump administration announced the National Farm Security Action Plan, which, among other things, would reform the process by which foreign entities report the purchase and control of US farmland.
“We feed the world. We lead the world. And we’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, our labs, or our livelihoods,” said Brooke Rollins, secretary of the US Department of Agriculture (USDA), in a press release. “This Action Plan puts America’s farmers, families, and future first—exactly where they belong. Under President Trump’s leadership, American agriculture will be strong, secure, and resilient. He will never stop fighting for our farmers and our ranchers.”
The National Farm Security Action Plan marks the beginning of a coordinated effort by the USDA to collaborate more closely with governors, state legislators, and federal partners. The USDA says the initiative aims to more fully integrate agriculture into the nation’s broader security framework in the months and years ahead. They plan to argue for agriculture’s vital role in safeguarding the country and underscores the importance of a unified, cross-governmental strategy.
The first section of the National Farm Security Action Plan, “Secure and Protect American Farmland,” aims to reform and update the process by which foreign entities report their acquisition and holdings of American farmland. The requirements are implemented by the Agriculture Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA), which requires foreign entities to report holdings and transactions of American farmland to the US Secretary of Agriculture.
“I support measures to protect our valuable and irreplaceable farmland because we are losing farmland every day in North Carolina in a variety of ways,” Steve Troxler, commissioner of the North Carolina Department of Agriculture, told the Carolina Journal. “North Carolina stands to lose over a million acres of farm and forestland to development alone by 2040, based on a recent report by the American Farmland Trust. We need focused efforts to slow the loss of farm and forestland so this valuable land is not taken out of food production forever. I have said for many years that having the natural resources available to feed ourselves and our country is a matter of national security.”
As of January 2024, 3.5% of farmland in North Carolina, or upwards of 700,000 acres, was foreign-owned.
“The Farmland Preservation Trust Fund in our department is already working with the branches of our military to protect bases with permanent conservation easements on lands around the bases,” said Troxler.
A 2024 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report released to Congress found that foreign holdings of US agricultural land have been growing. The report also found that the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) does not share updated and timely data on foreign investments in US agricultural land as collected under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978, as amended (AFIDA).
“USDA will work alongside State and Congressional partners, where applicable, to take swift legislative or executive action to end the direct or indirect purchase or control of American farmland by nationals from countries of concern or other foreign adversaries.”
The National Farm Security Action Plan
Additionally, the plan aims to “ensure the security of American farmland” by aggressively implementing “reforms to the AFIDA process.”
The North Carolina General Assembly has repeatedly attempted to pass legislation restricting foreign ownership of US land, especially near sensitive military sites. This session, several pieces of legislation addressing this were introduced.
“Farmers are the most patriotic people in the country.”
Rep. Jeff Zenger, R-Forsyth
One of those bills is the NC Farmland and Military Protection Act (HB 133) sponsored by Reps. Jennifer Balkcom, R-Henderson; John Bell, R-Wayne; Jeff Zenger, R-Forsyth; and Neal Jackson, R-Moore.
“I’m just thrilled that the federal government is stepping up and realizing this could be a really big problem,” Zenger told the Carolina Journal. “I think folks are starting to understand that even though we have a global economy, we can also create vulnerabilities if we’re not wise right, and that’s where you know people get a little bit rightfully concerned.”
HB 133 would prohibit adversarial foreign governments — defined as state-controlled enterprises or governments subject to US International Traffic in Arms Regulations — from acquiring, leasing, or holding any interest in agricultural land or real estate within a 75-mile radius of a military installation in North Carolina. The law protects national security, food supply, and critical resources.
“I think the advantage at the federal level is they can put down regulations,” continued Zenger. “Then all we have to do is kind of a backdrop behind the speaker where we can come along behind it and help with enforcement, and they can be a backstop to us regarding what we can do.”
A similar bill, Prohibit Foreign Ownership of NC Land (SB 394), was also proposed in the state Senate this session.
SB 394 prohibits land acquisition by adversarial nations outlined in the bill: China, Iran, North Korea, Russia, or entities they control. It blocks these foreign entities from owning agricultural lands and lands within 25 miles of a military installation or areas designated by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as special-use airspace.
Entities currently owning restricted land before the bill’s effective date must register their holdings with the secretary of state and the attorney general. Foreign entities that acquire restricted land after the bill takes effect must divest the property within three years.