Published on January 20, 2024, 1:30 am

While the importance of closely tracking foreign ownership of U.S. farmland should not be underestimated, particularly in instances where these purchases involve countries such as China with clear global ambitions, it appears that the Biden administration may not necessarily have taken adequate action on this front, according to a report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).

The GAO’s examination uncovered that there has been inconsistent sharing of timely data on foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land from the Department of Agriculture (USDA). This is despite directives outlined in the 1978 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA).

According to their recent report, vital data sharing could enhance transparency around potential national security risks linked to foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land. The USDA, responsible for AFIDA’s implementation across field offices and headquarters, seems to have flawed processes when it comes to collecting, tracking, and reporting relevant information.

Additionally troubling is that USDA gathers AFIDA data mainly through paper forms filed with designated county or federal offices—a process deemed unclear and challenging by GAO investigators. Even more alarming is that there are currently no plans or timelines set out by usda for creating an online AFIDA database—an obligation mandated by Congress to be fulfilled before 2025.

These omissions come at a time when worryingly high numbers of individuals from nations considered a national security concern are apprehended at our southern border. Furthermore, amidst this potential national crisis unfolds another: a steady increase in Chinese purchases of American farmland which posits serious risks for our nation’s food supply chain.

The Western Caucus Chairman Dan Newhouse expressed his concerns over this issue stating,”Food security is national security” while adding that maintaining obliviousness towards foreign adversaries influencing our food supply endangers both our economy and supply chain stability.

Based on USDA’s most recent data implies somewhat ominously that foreign investment in American farmland had grown to about 40 million acres as of 2021. Even more concerning is that Chinese agricultural purchases in the U.S. escalated tenfold from 2009 to 2016 alone.

This GAO report serves as a stark reminder of a very real and present concern that necessitates urgent attention: our lack of comprehensive tracking and managing of foreign investments, particularly in our food production assets, creates significant vulnerabilities to national security. This timely call for action is far more than trusted news but important information vital to maintaining the integrity of America’s food supply chain from a Christian Worldview lens. A time-tested warning for ensuring responsible stewardsing of land ownership involving real news worth considering.