As states across the nation grapple with the growing concern of foreign ownership of agricultural land, Indiana has stepped forward with measures designed to preserve its farmland from being purchased by foreign adversaries. Citing a recent report by the U.S Department of Agriculture, which highlighted that over 44 million acres of U.S. agricultural land was held by foreign investors in 2023, Indiana lawmakers have moved to safeguard their agricultural heritage and security.
Legislation introduced last year, which gained bipartisan support, specifically targets countries identified by the U.S. Department of Commerce as foreign adversaries, including China and Russia. The law prohibits these entities from owning or leasing farmland in Indiana and imposes a boundary of vigilance that extends to within a 10-mile radius of any military installation in the state. This policy decision is not unique to Indiana – similar laws exist in several states, like Alabama, Iowa, and Kansas, indicating a broader, national cautiousness towards foreign investment in crucial sectors.
In a statement obtained by Indiana House Republicans, a state representative emphasized that “protecting Hoosier farmland” is among their top priorities and pointed to the significance of the land not just for Indiana, but for the nation at large. The urgency of such legislation becomes apparent given that in the year before the Indiana law took effect, foreigners owned over 438,000 acres in the state…