U.S. lawmakers are concerned about Chinese communists buying tens of thousands of acres of US farmland. They will eventually control our food supply.
At the start of 2020, Chinese investors owned about 192,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land valued at about $1.9 billion, according to Politico. The CCP has buying up land in foreign countries as well.
In 2018, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported that China’s agricultural investments in other nations had grown more than tenfold.
The extensive Chinese land holdings in the U.S. have stirred calls to cut China off and stem the potential U.S. reliance on those Chinese landowners from both sides of the political aisle.
Republican former Vice President Mike Pence said, “America cannot allow China to control our food supply.” During his speech, Pence called on President Joe Biden to “end all farm subsidies for land owned by foreign nationals.”
Both Iowa and Minnesota have already passed state laws, imposing restrictions on foreign ownership of farmland in their states. In 2019, ahead of the Democrat presidential primaries, then-candidate Warren said she would support a national version of Iowa’s law and further safeguards against foreign investors buying farmland through “fake American buyers” to circumvent land purchase rules.
There is a bill to stop it but it’s hard to believe Congress will do anything good for the country. They haven’t so far this year.
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Many Countries do not allow American Citizens to own land. America should treat foreigners equally. If American Citizens can’t own land in their Country, their country and citizens can’t own land in America.
Does China allow foreign entities to own land in China? I doubt it. I doubt if the factories that churn out GM cars in China are actually owned by General Motors. I also believe anybody wanting to manufacture in China must give the Chinese government their intellectual property. That’s how China got missile technology from Loral and Motorola and thank you Bill Clinton for allowing that to happen. Simple solution to China buying land in the US is to treat China as they treat us and nationalize all holdings they have in the US. Our farm lands are vital infrastructure and we need to quit selling it foreign entities and especially our enemies like China.
Weve had this problem in Australia on and off for decades as Govs alternately creepingly allow foreign “investment” (meaning buying and owning, not paying for a lease etc) or when under pressure politically once people realize this is going on … they toughen up the legislation……repeat….