Feenstra bill aims to nix foreign influence over U.S. agriculture

U.S. Rep. Randy Feenstra (R-IA) joined more than 30 of his colleagues in introducing a bipartisan bill that would protect America’s agriculture production and supply chains from foreign influence.

“On my 36 County Tour, I have met with countless Iowans who are rightfully concerned that foreign countries like China are purchasing our farmland, infiltrating our country, and threatening our national and food security,” Rep. Feenstra said. “That’s why I am proud to support the FARM Act to prevent foreign control of critical agricultural supply chains and food production and stop China’s reckless acquisition of Iowa farmland.”

Rep. Feenstra is one of 33 original cosponsors of the Foreign Adversary Risk Management (FARM) Act, H.R. 513, which is sponsored by U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX). Among the members who joined Rep. Feenstra as an original cosponsor are U.S. Reps. Dusty Johnson (R-SD), Ashley Hinson (R-IA), and Abigail Spanberger (D-VA).

Under H.R. 513, Congress would find that “to prevent harm to the United States public health sector and to prevent disruption to the United States economy and food supply chains, the increasing influence foreign countries may have on the United States agriculture industry and agriculture supply chains should be mitigated,” according to the text of the bill.

The measure would require the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Government Accountability Office to draft a report on the largest threats posed by foreign farm ownership and agriculture-related espionage tactics used by foreign nations to target American intellectual property, agricultural research and development, and cost and pricing data, according to a bill summary provided by Rep. Feenstra’s office.

H.R. 513 would appoint the USDA Secretary to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States and require the committee to review any agricultural investment that could result in foreign control of any American agricultural producer or business, the summary says.