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FARMLAND Act of 2025
4/25/2025, 8:05 AM
Summary of Bill HR 1920
The proposed legislation includes provisions to strengthen oversight and transparency in foreign investments in the agricultural industry. This includes requiring foreign investors to disclose detailed information about their investments, such as the nature of the investment, the source of funding, and the ultimate beneficial owners.
Additionally, the bill aims to enhance the review process for foreign investments in the agricultural sector, ensuring that potential risks to national security, food security, and the environment are thoroughly assessed. The legislation also includes measures to improve coordination between federal agencies involved in reviewing foreign investments in agriculture. Overall, Bill 119 HR 1920 seeks to strike a balance between promoting foreign investment in the US agricultural industry while safeguarding national interests and ensuring the long-term sustainability of American agriculture.
Congressional Summary of HR 1920
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.
