The Trump administration has launched a sweeping initiative to stop China and other foreign adversaries from purchasing American farmland. Framing it as a national security threat, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins unveiled the National Farm Security Action Plan—a bold effort to take back control of the country’s agricultural land, food supply, and critical research from foreign influence.

“American agriculture is not just about feeding our families,” Rollins said at a press conference, “but about protecting our nation and standing up to foreign adversaries who are buying our farmland, stealing our research, and creating dangerous vulnerabilities in the very systems that sustain us.”

A Rising Concern: Foreign Control of U.S. Land

Foreign entities currently own nearly 45 million acres of American agricultural land, according to USDA data from 2023. That amounts to about 3.5 percent of privately held farmland. While Canadian firms are the largest foreign owners, China holds more than 270,000 acres across the country. This is more than double what it owned just a decade ago.

Though the total percentage seems small, the location of many Chinese-owned properties is raising red flags. “More than 265,000 acres in the United States are owned by Chinese nationals, much of which is located near critical U.S. military bases,” Rollins explained. A review by The New York Post found that at least 19 of those military installations—from Florida to Hawaii—were close enough to Chinese-owned farmland to allow for possible surveillance using drones, radar, or infrared technology.

The fear is that this land ownership is not just for agricultural use, but a possible foothold for intelligence gathering and sabotage. Rollins pointed to a recent case involving two Chinese researchers at the University of Michigan who were charged with smuggling a dangerous, crop-killing fungus into the U.S. “Both of them have ties to the Chinese Communist Party,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Rollins added, “The agriculture supply chain is essential for our nation’s security,” emphasizing that the USDA is working with the Departments of Defense, Treasury, Homeland Security, and Justice, along with state and local governments, to address this growing threat.

What the New Plan Does

The National Farm Security Action Plan includes several aggressive actions:

• Immediate bans on any new purchases of American farmland by Chinese nationals and entities from other countries deemed foreign adversaries.
• “Clawback” provisions to reverse existing farmland purchases where possible.
• Cancellation of current contracts: The USDA has already canceled seven agreements involving foreign ownership and removed roughly 70 individuals tied to those deals.
• Purge of foreign affiliations: An additional 550 entities are being reviewed and removed from USDA programs due to national security concerns.
• Tougher penalties: The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act will be strengthened to increase civil fines for false or late filings. The new penalty could be up to 25 percent of the land’s fair market value.
• Stronger surveillance and transparency: The USDA will improve tracking and reporting of foreign farmland ownership and investigate entities already in violation.

Rollins noted that this multi-agency approach will be backed by executive action from President Trump, as well as new legislation introduced by Republican governors and members of Congress. “Today we are taking this purpose and our American farmland back,” Rollins declared. “We will never let foreign adversaries control our land, our labs, or our livelihoods.”

A Broader Strategy for National Defense

The farmland issue is just one part of a broader USDA plan to protect the country’s agricultural infrastructure. The agency will also:

• Boost domestic production of key farming inputs such as fertilizers.
• Review all USDA programs to ensure they align with the Trump administration’s America First policy.
• Cut off foreign involvement in U.S.-funded agricultural research.
• Investigate and prosecute cyberattacks and fraud in food assistance programs.
• Secure agricultural labs from foreign infiltration, including halting research partnerships tied to China’s Wuhan Institute of Virology.

Rollins emphasized the urgency of defending the nation’s food systems from “unrestricted warfare”—a concept described by Chinese military writers as winning battles without firing a shot. “It is things like sending us seeds or trying to steal our seeds or trying to change the seeds,” explained trade adviser Peter Navarro. “It’s acquiring our supply chain in agriculture. It’s setting up spy shops on land next to military bases.”

China’s Reaction

China has sharply criticized the plan. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning warned that the U.S. was “overstretching the concept of national security” and accused it of breaking international trade rules. “The United States overstretched the concept of national security in restraining other countries’ and entities’ rights to purchase land,” Mao said. “We urge the United States to stop politicizing economic and trade affairs.”

Beijing claims that the move will damage global business ties and could result in retaliation. However, American officials remain firm. “This is not about trade,” Rollins responded. “This is about sovereignty and survival.”

A Growing Bipartisan Concern

While the push is largely led by Republicans, the issue has found support across the political spectrum. The Senate voted overwhelmingly—91 to 7—in 2023 to block Chinese firms from purchasing farmland. Twenty-six states already have laws limiting foreign ownership of agricultural land, and federal lawmakers are introducing new bills to expand those restrictions.

Rollins expressed hope for bipartisan support. “My hope is that this is a significant bipartisan issue that we will be able to work with some Democrat governors, some Democrat leaders across the country,” she said. “Ultimately we’re all in this to protect our country.”

Divesting foreign ownership of farmland will take time, especially for purchases already completed. But the USDA has made it clear the process has begun and will be backed by federal investigations, fines, and legal actions. “We’re taking a more intentional look at individuals who seek to buy that land in the future,” Rollins said.

The administration has also begun compiling lists of supply chain items in agriculture that are sourced from foreign adversaries and will propose alternatives to reduce dependence on those nations.

The stakes, officials say, are high. “American agriculture is under threat,” Rollins warned. “From criminals, from political adversaries, and from hostile regimes that understand our way of life as a profound and existential threat to themselves.”

With rising tensions between Washington and Beijing on multiple fronts—trade, technology, cyberwarfare, and territorial conflicts—America’s farmland is now a new battleground in the global power struggle. The Trump administration is drawing a clear line in the soil.