Committee passes Newhouse amendment to bar U.S. land ownership by foreign adversaries

The U.S. House Appropriations Committee on June 14 approved an amendment offered by U.S. Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-WA) to a larger appropriations bill that would prohibit the purchase of U.S. agricultural land by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), Russia, North Korea, or Iran.

“Increased ownership of U.S. farmland by countries who are not our allies is an alarmingly growing trend that poses a risk to our national and economic security,” Rep. Newhouse said, citing information from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) showing that the CCP currently owns more than 380,000 acres of farmland in the United States that is worth about $2 billion.

“But even more shocking than that is the trend that the CCP has increased their purchases by a factor of 10 over the last decade,” he told the committee in support of his amendment. “This poses an immediate threat to U.S. national security and food security.”

Specifically, Rep. Newhouse’s amendment, which was adopted by a vote of 34-26, amends the fiscal year 2024 Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies bill, which the committee also passed on a 34-27 vote.

The amendment would require the USDA Secretary to take necessary actions to prohibit the purchase of U.S. agricultural land by non-resident aliens, foreign businesses, or any agent, trustee, or fiduciary associated with the CCP, Russia, North Korea, or Iran.

“When I talk to the many farmers and landowners in my district, they express deep concern about this encroachment of our land from foreign adversaries,” Rep. Newhouse said. “They agree we can no longer ignore the writing on the wall, and we must act to stop this threat now before it becomes too late.”

The congressman said that such clarity is necessary “because adversaries like the CCP will take every opportunity they can to threaten democracy, our republic, and our way of life, including our agricultural supply chains.”