July 7, 2023
NEWS RELEASE: AFPI Calls on Congress to Restrict Communist China’s Access to American Agricultural Land
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the America First Policy Institute (AFPI) released the following statement from Steve Yates, Chair of the China Policy Initiative at the America First Policy Institute, regarding the importance of passing federal legislation to prevent hostile foreign powers from accessing America’s farmland:
“Our agricultural land and farmers are a strategic asset to America. No foreign nation has a right to own U.S. agricultural land, and the Communist Party of China and other adversarial nations cannot be allowed to use it to undermine our food security, economic security, and national security.
This is a clear threat to our food supply chains, and our agricultural land also makes a convenient base for surveillance and sabotage of our military installations and critical infrastructure, including power stations, dams, and ports. Federal legislation is needed immediately to ensure our Nation’s food security and independence and to protect our communities. Americans have a right to determine which foreign countries may purchase U.S. farmland.”
The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) already owns a significant and growing amount of American agricultural land. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Chinese holdings of U.S. agricultural land surged from 13,720 acres in 2010 to 383,935 acres in 2021, and this land is now valued at nearly $2 billion.
In their 2023 sessions, at least 23 state legislatures introduced bills that would restrict CCP access to U.S. agricultural land in some way, and Arkansas, Florida, Montana, North Dakota, Tennessee, Utah, and Virginia successfully passed bills into law. Congress now has the opportunity to build a comprehensive federal solution to ensure the protection of every American citizen.
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About the America First Policy Institute:
AFPI is a 501(C)(3) non-profit, non-partisan research institute focused on advancing policies that put the American people first. AFPI is led by senior leaders from the Trump Administration: Linda McMahon, Chair of the Board and former Administrator of the Small Business Administration; Larry Kudlow, Vice-Chair, former Director of the National Economic Council; and Brooke Rollins, President and CEO and former Director of the Domestic Policy Council and Chief White House Strategist. Since its inception in 2021, the America First Policy Institute team proudly includes nine former Cabinet-level officials, three former Governors, and nearly 50 former Senior White House and Administration officials. More information about AFPI and its 21 research centers can be found at www.americafirstpolicy.com.