Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) has expressed strong support for the U.S. House of Representatives’ passage of the Protecting American Agriculture from Foreign Adversaries Act of 2024. This bipartisan legislation, which Britt introduced in the Senate alongside Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), aims to enhance scrutiny of foreign acquisitions in U.S. agriculture.
The bill proposes adding the Secretary of Agriculture as a permanent member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). This move is intended to provide additional oversight on foreign investments in U.S. farmland and agricultural industries. Specifically, it targets purchases by foreign adversaries such as China, North Korea, Russia, and Iran. According to the USDA, foreign entities currently own over 43.4 million acres of U.S. agricultural land.
“Food security is national security,” said Senator Britt. “Adding the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS will ensure that our farmland is protected from foreign adversaries and that agricultural investments are carefully reviewed.”
The legislation passed the House by a vote of 269-149, with bipartisan support. Co-sponsors of the Senate version include Senators Joe Manchin (I-W.Va.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Jon Tester (D-Mont.), and others. The bill will now advance to the Senate floor for further consideration.
Rep. Dan Newhouse (R-Wash.) introduced the bill in the House, which has received backing from the American Farm Bureau. The proposed legislation would also enable the Secretary of Agriculture to report foreign land transactions involving nations of concern to CFIUS.
The bill reflects growing concerns over foreign influence in U.S. agriculture and aims to bolster national security through enhanced regulatory oversight.
