The California legislature passed a bill Wednesday that is on its way to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s (D) desk and would outlaw foreign country land sales to protect the nation’s food supply.
A similar bill was introduced on the federal level last month by Sens. Tom Cotton (R-AR) and Tommy Tuberville (R-AL) to prevent the Chinese Communist Party from buying land in the United States.
“Food can, and is, being used as a weapon like we are seeing in Ukraine,” said the California bill’s author, state Sen. Melissa Hurtado (D-Fresno). “Recent reports discuss how a nation could gain leverage by acquiring agricultural land and creating bioweapons that impact our food supply chain. The Food and Farm Security Act seeks to protect California’s water and food supply, especially as water availability across Western states decreases.”
California has a large Central Valley farm belt, where two-thirds of the nation’s fruits and nuts are grown, Hurtado’s website says. The state is also a leader in producing melons, lettuce, asparagus, and other foods that have been decimated by a multiyear drought that has caused farmers to cut back on crop acreage.
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The bill would exempt land owned by a foreign government prior to Jan. 1. It would also direct the state Department of Food and Agriculture to release annual reports on the amount of foreign farmland utilized, the type of usage, and “any legislative, regulatory, or administrative policy recommendations in light of the information from the annual report.”
“Existing law requires the Department of Food and Agriculture to promote and protect the agricultural industry of the state,” SB 1084 states. “Existing law requires the department to enhance, protect, and perpetuate the ability of the private sector to produce food and fiber in a way that benefits the general welfare and economy of the state.
“This bill would prohibit a foreign government from purchasing, acquiring, leasing, or holding an interest, as defined, in agricultural land within the State of California,” the bill adds.
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Fourteen states have foreign land ownership, and Cotton is most concerned with China. His website says the country’s investors have increased holdings from 13,720 acres in 2010 to 352,140 acres in 2020.
“Chinese investments in American farmland put our food security at risk and provide opportunities for Chinese espionage against our military bases and critical infrastructure,” Cotton said.
