BlueSky Thinking Summary

U.S.

senators sponsored legislation to protect America's agricultural land from foreign harm following increasing concerns about foreign ownership of U.S.

agricultural land.

The bipartisan bill was drafted primarily to target China, in the context of broader geopolitical tensions, by restricting land purchases of covered entities explicitly connected to certain foreign adversaries named for national security and protection of the food supply.

However, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, as of now, foreign ownership—by players such as Canada and Italy, for example—only contributes less to U.S.

cropland, so little that the opponents say the proposed ban would have no effect on strengthening or furthering food security, let alone help American farmers out economically.

It is regulating the flow of food and imposing taxes on foreign-owned land that may be done instead.

Ultimately, it would appear that this legislation is politically motivated by posturing in U.S.-China rivalry rather than practical agricultural policy objectives.

This agricultural bill sets the stage for the vital concerns of national security, economic impact, and geopolitical strategy as U.S.

senators work their way through this labyrinth of foreign land ownership.