Foreign investment in U.S. cropland

[Harpy Eagle]

Was not sure the best place to put this, but the economy forum seemed the best place.

Foreign investment in US cropland nearly triples in past decade, USDA data shows

Foreign investment in U.S. cropland has nearly tripled in the past decade, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

www.morningagclips.com

Foreign investment in U.S. cropland has nearly tripled in the past decade, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

The total cropland controlled by foreign interests in 2020 was 10.9 million acres, up from 4.1 million acres in 2010.

...

Foreign investors own more than just cropland. Overall, they own or lease nearly 37.6 million acres of agricultural land, including forests and pastures. That is an area slightly larger than the state of Illinois and makes up 2.9% of all privately held agricultural land in the U.S.

This is up from a total of 24.2 million acres in 2010, according to the USDA.


Not sure what can be done to stop this that would not violate the Constitution. One one hand I cannot fault a landowner for wanting to get the most for their land and often the foreign interest will overpay to ensure they get it. On the other hand this cannot continue or it will become a national security issue eventually.

 

[1srelluc]

IMHO no foreign investors or nationals living here should have a controlling interest in anything in the US.....Period. You want to have a controlling interest then become a US citizen.

 

[Harpy Eagle]

IMHO no foreign investors or nationals living here should have a controlling interest in anything in the US.....Period. You want to have a controlling interest then become a US citizen.

Not sure there is a constitutional way to make that happen

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

IMHO no foreign investors or nationals living here should have a controlling interest in anything in the US.....Period. You want to have a controlling interest then become a US citizen.

Not only can foreigners own the land...

Foreign persons or entities may be eligible for certain USDA farm program benefits if they meet the same requirements as domestic persons or entities. Specifically, they must be either farming the land or landlords renting land under a crop-share agreement, have the requisite U.S. taxpayer ID, and meet the program’s eligibility and other requirements.

https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF11977

 

[Gabe Lackmann]

We should not fear though.

The guy pushing those healthy vaccines, and preaching world population control...actually owns the most farmland.

Not those dangerous foreigners.

Bill Gates is the biggest private owner of farmland in the United States. Why? | Nick Estes

Gates has been buying land like it’s going out of style. He now owns more farmland than my entire Native American nation

www.theguardian.com

 

[Dekster]

Was not sure the best place to put this, but the economy forum seemed the best place.

Foreign investment in US cropland nearly triples in past decade, USDA data shows

Foreign investment in U.S. cropland has nearly tripled in the past decade, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

www.morningagclips.com

Foreign investment in U.S. cropland has nearly tripled in the past decade, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

The total cropland controlled by foreign interests in 2020 was 10.9 million acres, up from 4.1 million acres in 2010.

...

Foreign investors own more than just cropland. Overall, they own or lease nearly 37.6 million acres of agricultural land, including forests and pastures. That is an area slightly larger than the state of Illinois and makes up 2.9% of all privately held agricultural land in the U.S.

This is up from a total of 24.2 million acres in 2010, according to the USDA.


Not sure what can be done to stop this that would not violate the Constitution. One one hand I cannot fault a landowner for wanting to get the most for their land and often the foreign interest will overpay to ensure they get it. On the other hand this cannot continue or it will become a national security issue eventually.

Some states already prohibit or restrict foreign ownership of ag lands. That said, the largest owner is Canada. They hold a lot of US timberland. Think I read somewhere that the Dutch farm more land in the US than they do in the Netherlands. Kind of a matter of necessity for them though. I am not particularly worried about it.