Foreign owned ag acres on the rise

By Daniel Munch, American Farm Bureau Federation economist

Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land, which includes timberland, remains a widely debated and often controversial topic, fueled by concerns about the implications of foreign investments — especially those from nations viewed as adversarial to the U.S.

The U.S. has seen a 1.58-million-acre increase in foreign-held agricultural land between 2022 and 2023, driven primarily by investments linked to renewable energy projects. At the same time, the data shows a decrease in acreage owned by Chinese-based entities, reflecting shifting patterns in foreign land acquisition.

The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) requires foreign entities to report purchases, sales and interests in U.S. agricultural land to USDA via Form-153 submitted to the Farm Service Agency. It defines foreign entities broadly, including individuals, companies and even foreign governments, but excludes U.S. citizens and green card holders. Non-compliance can result in fines up to 25% of the land’s market value, though USDA has largely depended on voluntary self-reporting for its data.… Continue reading