Who Owns Our Farmland?

There's been plenty of chatter lately on the interweb about foreign ownership of US farmland - much of it singling-out China in particular for scorn.  Anyone who follows me here or knows me on a personal basis would tell you that I am no fan of Communist Red China.  We can have a discussion another day about all there is to dislike about these commies and the teetering and dire condition of their economy and social state resulting from insular autocratic rule.  Today I would like to set the record straight on the foreign ownership matter.

Foreign persons or entities held an interest in over 43.4 million acres of US agricultural land as of December 31, 2022.

This is 3.4 percent of all privately held agricultural land and nearly 2 percent of all land in the United States.  The Top Ten countries who own the most acres are as follows:

Canada (12,845,000 acres)

Netherlands (4,875,000)

Italy (2,703,000)

United Kingdom (2,538,000)

Germany (2,269,000)

Portugal (1,483,000)

France ( 1,316,000)

Denmark (856,000)

Luxembourg (802,000)

Ireland (760,000)

According to a USDA report from 2021, China owns roughly 384,000 acres of US agricultural land.  Of that, 195,000 acres, valued at almost $2 billion at time of purchase, are owned by 85 Chinese investors, which could be individuals, companies or the government. 

Of the 109 countries that own US farmland, China ranks No. 18, far behind No. 1 Canada (12.8 million acres) and even the Cayman Islands (672,000). 

Chinese agricultural land ownership increased significantly under the Former Guy.  Only about 550 acres were purchased from 2015 to 2019.  Chinese ownership jumped 30% from 2019 to 2020, from 247,000 acres to roughly 352,000.

You're welcome.....

 Source:  Forbes