The debate reached a fever pitch following several high-profile attempts to buy land near sensitive military sites:
: Holdings are heavily concentrated in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah, and Florida , which together account for about 93% of all Chinese-owned acreage. National Security and "Flashpoints" china buying us farmland
: The vast majority—over 90%—is controlled by just five companies. The largest is Smithfield Foods , the massive pork processor acquired by Hong Kong-based WH Group in 2013, which holds nearly 100,000 acres. The debate reached a fever pitch following several
: In July 2025, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) under the Trump administration announced a National Farm Security Action Plan to collaborate with states in ending land purchases by "countries of concern". : In July 2025, the U
: As of early 2026, approximately 30 states have passed laws restricting foreign adversaries—specifically China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea—from purchasing agricultural land. States like Florida have even upheld laws prohibiting property ownership within 10 miles of military installations.