HOUSE PANEL: PUT THE BRAKES ON CHINA-OWNED FARMLAND IN U.S.

[The Purge]

Successful Farming ^ | July 1, 2021 | Chuck Abbott
Posted on 7/24/2021, 7:22:30 AM by gattaca

APPROVAL OF NEWHOUSE’S AMENDMENT WAS THE LATEST SIGN OF THE INCREASED RIVALRY BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES AS PART OF THE TRADE WAR BETWEEN THE WORLD’S TWO LARGEST ECONOMIES.

China would be barred from buying more U.S. farmland and the land already in its possession would become ineligible for farm subsidies under language approved by the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. On a voice vote, the provision was added to a $197 billion USDA-FDA funding bill headed for a vote on the House floor.

Rep. Dan Newhouse said ownership of nearly 192,000 acres of farmland by Chinese investors was a national security issue. “The current trend in the United States is leading us toward the creation of a Chinese-owned agricultural land monopoly,” said the Republican from Washington State. “There are currently no federal safeguards against the creation of this monopoly.”

Approval of Newhouse’s amendment was the latest sign of the increased rivalry between China and the United States as part of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Support for Newhouse’s amendment was bipartisan.

New York Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat, objected to singling out China, saying it might spur attacks on Asian-Americans. Hate crimes against Asian-Americans have surged during the pandemic amid the scapegoating of China as the source of COVID-19.

“Can we honestly say that this amendment, which singles out one country, won’t have repercussions on Asian-Americans across our country?” asked Meng. “Let’s include all of our adversaries.”

“This is about communist China,” said Newhouse. “This is not about calling attention in any negative way to any group of people in this country.”

The prohibition on Chinese purchases of farmland and that land’s eligibility for USDA payments would be a step “to ensure the U.S. food supply chain is secure and independent, especially after all the food interruptions we all experienced during the recent pandemic,” he said.

There are 896.6 million acres, or 1.4 million square miles, of farmland in the United States, according to USDA data.

An Appropriations Committee news release about the USDA-FDA bill is available here.

Watch a video of the Appropriations Committee debate on the bill....

Markups

appropriations.house.gov

--------------------

The Chinese are not dumb. If they buy it all, they control the food production in the US. Then it doesn’t matter who is in apparant control (Pretender Joe Biden), actual control will be in China.

 

[occupied]

I like the part where they are not eligible for farm subsidies. No landlord renting their land to an actual farmer should get a cent.

 

[Likkmee]

Successful Farming ^ | July 1, 2021 | Chuck Abbott
Posted on 7/24/2021, 7:22:30 AM by gattaca

APPROVAL OF NEWHOUSE’S AMENDMENT WAS THE LATEST SIGN OF THE INCREASED RIVALRY BETWEEN CHINA AND THE UNITED STATES AS PART OF THE TRADE WAR BETWEEN THE WORLD’S TWO LARGEST ECONOMIES.

China would be barred from buying more U.S. farmland and the land already in its possession would become ineligible for farm subsidies under language approved by the House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday. On a voice vote, the provision was added to a $197 billion USDA-FDA funding bill headed for a vote on the House floor.

Rep. Dan Newhouse said ownership of nearly 192,000 acres of farmland by Chinese investors was a national security issue. “The current trend in the United States is leading us toward the creation of a Chinese-owned agricultural land monopoly,” said the Republican from Washington State. “There are currently no federal safeguards against the creation of this monopoly.”

Approval of Newhouse’s amendment was the latest sign of the increased rivalry between China and the United States as part of the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. Support for Newhouse’s amendment was bipartisan.

New York Rep. Grace Meng, a Democrat, objected to singling out China, saying it might spur attacks on Asian-Americans. Hate crimes against Asian-Americans have surged during the pandemic amid the scapegoating of China as the source of COVID-19.

“Can we honestly say that this amendment, which singles out one country, won’t have repercussions on Asian-Americans across our country?” asked Meng. “Let’s include all of our adversaries.”

“This is about communist China,” said Newhouse. “This is not about calling attention in any negative way to any group of people in this country.”

The prohibition on Chinese purchases of farmland and that land’s eligibility for USDA payments would be a step “to ensure the U.S. food supply chain is secure and independent, especially after all the food interruptions we all experienced during the recent pandemic,” he said.

There are 896.6 million acres, or 1.4 million square miles, of farmland in the United States, according to USDA data.

An Appropriations Committee news release about the USDA-FDA bill is available here.

Watch a video of the Appropriations Committee debate on the bill....

Markups

appropriations.house.gov

--------------------

The Chinese are not dumb. If they buy it all, they control the food production in the US. Then it doesn’t matter who is in apparant control (Pretender Joe Biden), actual control will be in China.

Bill Gates is America's biggest farmer with 269000 acres farmland which is visible from space

Bill and Melinda Gates have their own land in at least 18 American states.

www.dnaindia.com

 

[RodISHI]

Good.

 

[petro]

China is buying up resources all over the world, in many cases with the help of local governments.
China now holds a controlling interest in Australia's largest lithium mine and is buying up interests across South America.

Start learning Mandarin now.

 

[evenflow1969]

I like the part where they are not eligible for farm subsidies. No landlord renting their land to an actual farmer should get a cent.

It's not exactly that simple. My family farmed for generations. My aunt and uncle have ran the farms most recently. My uncle died, my aunt is too old to do it all. Our land is currently leased. I am the only one in family with an interest in taking over, how ever I have commitments I can not leave for at least five years. Should we as one of the few family farms left be put at a competitive disadvantage? Obviously China needs to be held in check from owning our land, the same danger is true for any foreign entity or even large corporations. Something needs to be done soon not only on farms but also in supply chain of any necessary item to national security. A poorly written bill can at times make things worse. Anti trust laws need to be strengthened and soon. We have an illusion of free market here but it is just that, you track down the ownership of businesses in almost every category you will fins there is typically five to six different cops owning 90 percent of the market. It is scary. Not only do we laws protecting from this but also the man power to track it down it is just to easy to bury this with straw purchasing and endless ownership trail of subsidiary corps. Add in our deep deep divisions we be fucked. God help us!

 

[occupied]

It's not exactly that simple. My family farmed for generations. My aunt and uncle have ran the farms most recently. My uncle died, my aunt is too old to do it all. Our land is currently leased. I am the only one in family with an interest in taking over, how ever I have commitments I can not leave for at least five years. Should we as one of the few family farms left be put at a competitive disadvantage? Obviously China needs to be held in check from owning our land, the same danger is true for any foreign entity or even large corporations. Something needs to be done soon not only on farms but also in supply chain of any necessary item to national security. A poorly written bill can at times make things worse. Anti trust laws need to be strengthened and soon. We have an illusion of free market here but it is just that, you track down the ownership of businesses in almost every category you will fins there is typically five to six different cops owning 90 percent of the market. It is scary. Not only do we laws protecting from this but also the man power to track it down it is just to easy to bury this with straw purchasing and endless ownership trail of subsidiary corps. Add in our deep deep divisions we be fucked. God help us!

People directly involved in agribusiness should get all the help we can give them. Food is a strategic resource that absolutely has to be supported and protected from greedy people looking to squeeze a quick buck from someone else's hard work.

 

[evenflow1969]

People directly involved in agribusiness should get all the help we can give them. Food is a strategic resource that absolutely has to be supported and protected from greedy people looking to squeeze a quick buck from someone else's hard work.

Ya, I know life is stacked against us these days. Not just in terms of competition but but in knowledge. Society calls dumb old farmers but it takes knowledge to run a farm. Our children are taught to become doctors, lawyers, or to do other businesses and quite frankly even those of us that stay to farm typically start other businesses to have an income during the winter. Myself and my cousin Brenda are likely the only ones in family with the knowledge to run one. I have not been involved for a good many years. I have forgotten much. My cousin is better fit for it she has done it most recently. She has a medical records firm to run. I have a charter business to run and my partner does not yet have the knowledge to run the charter business by him self. My son is about to graduate business school and could be taught the ag part how ever he is a hot head and I do not trust him to be fair to all involved. My youngest daughter is who I trust the most long term but she just graduated high school and is no where near ready to run a rather large farm. The early death of my uncle has caused a great deal of issues. Right now the two families we lease to are by far the best option the farm is in good hands. Hopefully over the next five years I can get back up to speed and my cousin can get in a situation where she has enough time to handle the business end of it from a distance while I handle the day to day. Many moving parts need to go right to keep the place in the family we will see what the future brings.I pray my son grows up and daughter develops an interest or I may be the last family member to run it. I am no spring chicken myself.

 

[Anathema]

There should not be ANY ownership of US farmland or ANY other critical infrastructure in this nation by ANY foreign government or corporations. ALL of those critical businesses and assets should be AMERICAN owned exclusively.

 

[occupied]

There should not be ANY ownership of US farmland or ANY other critical infrastructure in this nation by ANY foreign government or corporations. ALL of those critical businesses and assets should be AMERICAN owned exclusively.

Apparently we can't count on Americans to do right by us either. American banks and land speculators are the biggest threat to food production we face.

 

[Winston]

It's not exactly that simple. My family farmed for generations. My aunt and uncle have ran the farms most recently. My uncle died, my aunt is too old to do it all. Our land is currently leased. I am the only one in family with an interest in taking over, how ever I have commitments I can not leave for at least five years. Should we as one of the few family farms left be put at a competitive disadvantage? Obviously China needs to be held in check from owning our land, the same danger is true for any foreign entity or even large corporations. Something needs to be done soon not only on farms but also in supply chain of any necessary item to national security. A poorly written bill can at times make things worse. Anti trust laws need to be strengthened and soon. We have an illusion of free market here but it is just that, you track down the ownership of businesses in almost every category you will fins there is typically five to six different cops owning 90 percent of the market. It is scary. Not only do we laws protecting from this but also the man power to track it down it is just to easy to bury this with straw purchasing and endless ownership trail of subsidiary corps. Add in our deep deep divisions we be fucked. God help us!

Very well said. Both sides of my family were generational farmers. One on land granted by the king, the other on land purchased with hard work, or a good poker hand. Raised engineers and executives, land was leased for years. Then Dad played on one farm, investing in seed and supplies and sharing the crop with the one doing the work. It was a hobby. But Dad is well over 80 now, he just finished selling both those farms. Kind of sad, kind of a relief.

Like everything else, and exactly like you said, markets are controlled by a few dominant players, and that plays out in farming just like everything else. Margins for the producer are thin, rather it's milk or poultry, soybeans or truck farming. Processors literally take all the cream, controlling and stifling the price they pay producers, and then controlling and inflating the price to retailers.

 

[JohnDB]

Well there's new legislation coming...and farming is in the center sights for it.

It's about the tractors. All the updates and servicing (software) are not going to have to be done by the manufacturer anymore.

That's going to help a lot. Equipment expenses are through the roof for a lot of farms. John Deere has a good product but the cost of service contracts for what they actually do is outrageous.
Currently the "warranty" is how the owners are being held hostage...and I think that that warranty voiding is about to evaporate.

We shall see what happens.

 

[evenflow1969]

Very well said. Both sides of my family were generational farmers. One on land granted by the king, the other on land purchased with hard work, or a good poker hand. Raised engineers and executives, land was leased for years. Then Dad played on one farm, investing in seed and supplies and sharing the crop with the one doing the work. It was a hobby. But Dad is well over 80 now, he just finished selling both those farms. Kind of sad, kind of a relief.

Like everything else, and exactly like you said, markets are controlled by a few dominant players, and that plays out in farming just like everything else. Margins for the producer are thin, rather it's milk or poultry, soybeans or truck farming. Processors literally take all the cream, controlling and stifling the price they pay producers, and then controlling and inflating the price to retailers.

Should not be that way. I remember back in late 80's early 90's. Had several friends go into hog farming. Prices fell out of the hogs buddies lost there farm and there was not one cent drop in price of pork at the store. What horse shit. Hopefully things will change for better some day but I doubt it.