Farm security is national security: USDA unveils biggest crackdown in decades

American Thinker ^ | July 11, 2025 | Wendi Strauch Mahoney

[E. Pluribus Unum]

“Farm security is national security,” declared U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins, as she unveiled a sweeping National Farm Security Action Plan at a press conference on July 8, 2025.  Flanked by Trump adviser Peter Navarro, several governors, and key Cabinet officials, Rollins rolled out the most aggressive federal effort in decades to curb foreign ownership of U.S. farmland and shield the agricultural sector from national-security threats, particularly those posed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

The USDA’s announcement follows a February 2025 directive from President Trump, who ordered the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to expand its reviews of Chinese investments in sectors deemed vital to national interest, including agriculture and food processing.

At the heart of the new initiative is a ban on future purchases of farmland by Chinese entities and a review of existing land acquisitions by foreign nationals, particularly those near U.S. military installations.  Secretary Rollins made clear that the USDA would work with the Department of Justice and the Department of Defense to “terminate land contracts, revoke research grants, and even claw back land purchases” where national security is threatened.

Coordinating with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the plan outlines the following:

• Ban Chinese purchases of U.S. farmland.
• Review and possible reversals of past foreign land acquisitions
• Terminate contracts with researchers linked to “countries of concern.”
• Coordinate with the DOJ to prosecute agro-terrorism and enforce Farm Service Agency (FSA) contracts.
• Strengthen enforcement and penalties under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA).
• Enhance oversight near military installations.
• Assess vulnerabilities in agricultural supply chains in collaboration with agencies like DARPA.

The policy shift responds to the alleged steady increase in foreign-held farmland across the United States in the last decade.  According to the most recent USDA Agricultural Foreign Investment...

[kaktuskid]

What about the meat packing industry (Smithfield and JBS)?

[niteowl77]

They also need to look at ways to remove or regulate old farmhouses that sit on small pieces of ground that were sold to/rented by family friends years ago, but are now lived in by dirtheads and illegals. Too many of them are narco-houses, meth labs and child endangerment situations, but city and county officials are oddly loathe to deal with them.

I know some farmers who have constant problems with people driving around the perimeters of their fields to avoid detection, but these farmers are not about to take on the firepower and influence of a drug cartel.

[bgill]

Ban all foreign ownership of US land.

[Carry_Okie]

The article doesn’t mention it, but one wonders what will happen with Chinese acquisitions like Smithfield. They own a LOT of pig farms and this direct huge flows of feed and meat.

[bgill]

Should have started with the Chinese owned GNC stores on our military bases.

[DesertRhino]

“Farm security is national security,” declared U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Brooke Rollins”

Ja Wohl Mein Fuhrer! Zee farms must be strictly monitored and controlled!

[DesertRhino]

“Ban all foreign ownership of US land.”

Yes! Like just Mexico used to after the revolution! Viva Villa!

[txeagle]

Any regulations that are being contemplated should have a heavy focus on divestiture.

[ConservativeMind]

If the owner is not local, how do you ever hold that owner accountable for its use, aside from confiscating the land? How do you arrest the country of China?

[AZJeep]

The Chinese are not just buying land.

They strategically buy land around sensitive military installation.
Obviously for spying, stealing military secrets and maybe, in case of some conflict, for sabotage!
That has to end!

Some foreign own land is more-less OK.
E.g. foreign interests buying land to build factories on it, but Chinese purchases are often obviously targeted to give them military advantage! Totally unacceptable!

[FreedomPoster]

Smithfield was the first thing I thought of.

[gundog]

Didn’t Obeyme arm the USDA beyond any practical level? Maybe those guns will be put to use for good.

[Secret Agent Man]

Those close farms would be where ttacks come from. Drones, bioweapons, because they do biowewpons playtime, covid anyone?