Assemblyman Angelo Santabarbara, Chair of the New York State Assembly Commission on Rural Resources and long-standing member of the Assembly Committee on Agriculture has introduced a bill which would ban entities owned by foreign adversaries from purchasing agricultural land in New York State. 

This list would include China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, Venezuela, and any other country or individual deemed by the Secretary of Commerce to have engaged in a long-term pattern of serious instances of conduct significantly adverse to the national security of the United States or entities in which a foreign adversary has a controlling interest in, from purchasing agricultural land in New York State. The bill also requires that the Department of Agriculture and Markets compile a report that details the total amount of agricultural land that is under foreign ownership, the percentage change from previous years, and the purpose for which foreign-owned agricultural land is being used.

According to the latest U.S. Department of Agriculture records, nearly 756,000 acres of agricultural land are held by foreign entities in New York State alone. More than 2,000 of these acres are in Montgomery County. Estimates from 2020 indicate that China owns about 192,000 agricultural acres in the United States. These land holdings were worth an estimated $1.9 billion.

“In the midst of national security concerns related to spying, it is important that the United States not allow foreign adversaries like the Chinese government to continue purchasing large amounts of agricultural land,” said Assemblyman Santabarbara. “Now more than ever we must do all we can to protect our food supply chains here in the United States. This bill would ensure that going forward no agricultural land in New York State can be purchased by foreign advisories that pose a threat to national security,” Santabarbara added. 

According to FiveThirtyEight.com, 14 states already prohibit foreign ownership of private agricultural land by known adversaries, and 15 additional states are considering new bills on this matter.