Rep. Dusty Johnson (R., South Dakota) and 129 House Republicans signed a letter on Saturday telling the Government Accountability Office to urge foreign investment in U.S. farmland and national security, trade, and food security. We asked them to consider the impact on insurance.
The letter, addressed to GAO Director Jean Dodaro, asks the Secretariat to investigate the amount of foreign investment in the country’s agricultural land. and how the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Service Agency collects data about foreign investments, how the federal government uses that data to ensure national security, and other procedures related to disclosure of foreign agricultural land acquisitions. It also requests an overview of
“We’re asking GAO because we want to get a better picture of who’s buying what and what they’re doing,” Johnson told Farm Forum on Tuesday. “This letter is simply asking for additional information that we desperately need.”
According to the FSA’s latest Foreign Holdings of US Agricultural Land report, approximately 37.6 million acres of US farmland and farmland are held by foreign investors, accounting for 2.9% of all US private farmland. . The report also shows that foreign land holdings have increased, averaging about 2.2 million acres per year since 2015.
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The report also shows that the majority of foreign investment in agricultural and non-agricultural land is made by Canadian investors with 12.4 million acres.Holland, Italy, Britain and Germany together account for his 12 million foreign-owned acres in the United States
The remaining 13.9 million acres of foreign-owned agricultural and non-agricultural land are divided among various other countries, the report shows. China owns 352,140 acres of hers, less than 1% of her total foreign-held acres.
The letter indicates that Chinese and Saudi investors are increasing their investment in U.S. agricultural land, and that foreign renewable energy companies are using farmland they purchase for non-agricultural uses, essentially taking that farmland out of production. He expresses concern about the possibility of exclusion.
The letter also mentions the purchase of 300 acres of land near Grand Forks Air Force Base by Chinese food maker Fufeng Group, which has raised Washington’s national security concerns.
‘China is the enemy’
While U.S.-China relations reached their worst in decades and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan frayed already-damaged ties between the two nations, Johnson was optimistic about the relationship between the country’s agriculture and the country in the east. He reiterated his desire to maintain boundaries.
On Wednesday, Johnson joined American actors Mark Kassen and Chris Evans’ civic engagement app, A Starting Point, to share his views on the conflict between the United States and China, which remain the world’s leading powers.
“China is trying to wield an incredible amount of control over America’s supply chain, especially food, and I think we should be worried about that. Over $35 billion. I don’t think we should give them that kind of control over their food.
Johnson is a co-sponsor of the Protect and Promote Safety of Agriculture (PASS) Act, which blacklists countries deemed “hostile” from buying U.S. agricultural companies. He also co-led the People’s Republic of China’s Agricultural Land Ban Law, which specifically prohibits individuals and companies affiliated with the Chinese government from purchasing agricultural land.
“China is the adversary. They have made it very clear, they have strategic documents for years. “I think we’re not paying enough attention to that problem,” Johnson told Farm Forums. before going out.”
Mr Johnson said he didn’t want “countries to be on and off the list”. He clarified that the law is intended to stop “intergenerational adversaries” from accessing the country’s food and supply chains.
“There would be no other way to achieve policy goals without banning their sale,” Johnson said. There is none.”
