Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) announced his support for including bipartisan legislation aimed at preventing investors in China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from acquiring farmland in Ohio and around the U.S., in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) – the country’s annual defense bill.
The Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act – introduced by Senators Jon Tester (D-MT) and Mike Rounds (R-SD) – would protect American agricultural land from investors from China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, and require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to consider agriculture needs when screening foreign investment affecting national security.
“We cannot allow foreign adversaries like China to buy up farmland in Ohio and around the country unchecked,” said Brown. “It’s a threat to rural economies, and it’s a threat to our national security. I’ll always stand with Ohio farmers over big foreign investors.”
Chinese ownership of privately-held U.S. farmland grew 30% in a single year, from 2019 to 2020, while Chinese investment in the agribusiness industry continues to grow.
To help address these concerns, the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act of 2023:
- Prohibits China, Russia, Iran and North Korea from purchasing U.S. farmland and agricultural companies;
- Adds the Secretary of Agriculture as a standing member of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to consider agriculture needs when making determinations affecting our national security; and
- Requires the president to submit a report to Congress on any waiver granted to a prohibited country.