The Trump administration has rolled out a new National Farm Security Action Plan aimed squarely at “CCP-affiliated” entities holding farmland in the United States. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the multi-agency operation today, stating that its goal is to ban future purchases by Chinese nationals and reclaim land already acquired near critical sites like military installations.
At a press conference, Rollins said, “American agriculture is not just about feeding our families, but about protecting our nation and standing up to foreign adversaries who are buying our farmland, stealing our research, and creating dangerous vulnerabilities”.
The plan tasks the USDA, Department of Defense, DHS, DOJ, and CFIUS with reviewing existing farmland ownership and working with states to require divestment of land currently owned by Chinese entities, as well as strengthening oversight on new farmland acquisitions .
This initiative addresses growing concerns that approximately 265,000 acres of U.S. farmland, notably near military bases, are owned by Chinese investors.
The administration also cited recent events—such as the arrest of Chinese researchers attempting to smuggle crop fungus into the U.S.—to justify stricter agricultural security measures.
Elected officials have pushed for legislative solutions. Representative Dan Newhouse and Senator Roger Marshall recently introduced bills to add the Secretary of Agriculture to CFIUS and block CCP-affiliated purchases, supported by bipartisan majorities in Congress.
Similar efforts are advancing at the state level: South Dakota and Indiana have passed measures limiting foreign farm ownership.
Critics argue that although true CCP farmland ownership is limited—comprising around 1% of foreign-held acreage—its proximity to military installations poses potential national security risks. Rollins and Deputy Secretary Pete Hegseth stressed that the operation is not about xenophobia but safeguarding food, research, and defense infrastructure.
Trump, a long-time opponent of Chinese investment in U.S. agriculture, has pledged that if re-elected, he will completely block Chinese nationals from acquiring farmland, citing his previous public statements and policy platform.
With executive orders in preparation and bipartisan support building in both Congress and statehouses, the National Farm Security Action Plan is the broadest U.S. response yet aimed at reclaiming farmland from CCP-affiliated entities and reinforcing national agricultural and security interests.
