House Passes H.R. 9456 to Block Foreign Ownership of American Farmland

Sep 11, 2024, 08:19 PM

The House of Representatives has passed the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act, also known as H.R. 9456, introduced by Rep. Newhouse. This legislation aims to prevent foreign entities, particularly those aligned with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), from purchasing American farmland. The bill adds the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to increase oversight of agricultural land purchases. Proponents of the bill, including Rep. Frank Lucas, Rep. Mike Flood, Rep. Jim Baird, and Rep. Dusty Johnson, argue that foreign ownership of American agricultural land poses a significant national security risk. The bill's passage is seen as a crucial step in safeguarding the country's agricultural assets and ensuring food security.