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FARMLAND Act of 2025

3/27/2025, 3:23 AM

Summary of Bill S 886

Bill 119 s 886, also known as the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978, aims to enhance the monitoring and regulation of foreign investment in the American agricultural sector. The bill seeks to update and strengthen the existing regulations put in place by the original act passed in 1978.

The main purpose of this bill is to provide greater oversight and transparency in foreign investments in the agricultural industry. This includes requiring foreign investors to disclose more detailed information about their investments in US agricultural businesses. By doing so, the bill aims to ensure that these investments do not pose a threat to national security or the integrity of the American food supply.

Additionally, the bill includes provisions to enhance the enforcement mechanisms for violations of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act. This includes increasing penalties for non-compliance and providing additional resources to the agencies responsible for monitoring foreign investments in the agricultural sector. Overall, Bill 119 s 886 seeks to modernize and strengthen the regulations surrounding foreign investment in the US agricultural industry to protect national interests and ensure the security and sustainability of American agriculture.

Congressional Summary of S 886

Foreign Agricultural Restrictions to Maintain Local Agriculture and National Defense Act of 2025 or the FARMLAND Act of 2025

This bill expands federal authority and oversight over foreign investments in the U.S. agricultural industry.

The bill expands the authority of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to include the review of land transactions (involving foreign entities) that exceed $5 million or 320 acres of land over the preceding three years. This applies to land that is primarily used for agriculture, the extraction of energy sources, or the extraction of critical precursor materials for biological technology industries, information technology components, or national defense technologies. Further, the bill adds the Secretary of Agriculture and the Commissioner of Food and Drugs to CFIUS membership. As background, CFIUS is an interagency committee that oversees the national security risks of certain foreign direct investment in the U.S. economy, including by reviewing certain real estate transactions.

Further, the bill expands enforcement of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA). The Department of Agriculture (USDA) must appoint a Chief of Operations of Investigative Actions to (1) monitor AFIDA compliance, and (2) conduct investigations on efforts to steal agricultural knowledge and technology and to disrupt the U.S. agricultural base.

The bill prohibits foreign persons who own or operate land from participating in Farm Service Agency programs and establishes penalties for violators.

The bill also requires USDA and the Department of Homeland Security to jointly develop a database of agricultural land owned by foreign persons.

Current Status of Bill S 886

Bill S 886 is currently in the status of Bill Introduced since March 6, 2025. Bill S 886 was introduced during Congress 119 and was introduced to the Senate on March 6, 2025.  Bill S 886's most recent activity was Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry. as of March 6, 2025

Bipartisan Support of Bill S 886

Total Number of Sponsors
2
Democrat Sponsors
0
Republican Sponsors
2
Unaffiliated Sponsors
0
Total Number of Cosponsors
3
Democrat Cosponsors
2
Republican Cosponsors
1
Unaffiliated Cosponsors
0

Policy Area and Potential Impact of Bill S 886

Primary Policy Focus

Alternate Title(s) of Bill S 886

A bill to amend the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 to strengthen oversight over foreign investment in the United States agricultural industry, and for other purposes.
A bill to amend the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 to strengthen oversight over foreign investment in the United States agricultural industry, and for other purposes.

Comments

Salem Hansen profile image

Salem Hansen

559

8 months ago

Ugh, can you believe this crap? It's like they want to make life harder for everyone. Who even comes up with this stuff? Definitely not someone who actually knows what they're doing. This is going to mess things up for a lot of people, that's for sure.