Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act or the FARM ActThis bill places the Secretary of Agriculture on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). It also requires CFIUS to review any investment that could result in foreign control of any U.S. agricultural business.Further, the bill includes agricultural systems and supply chains in the definitions of critical infrastructure and critical technologies for the purposes of reviewing such investments.The Department of Agriculture and the Government Accountability Office must each analyze and report on foreign influence in the U.S. agricultural industry.
Impact
If enacted, SB179 would establish a framework for reviewing foreign investments pertaining to United States agriculture. It obligates the Secretary of Agriculture to analyze potential foreign influences in the industry and to report on significant threats to U.S. agriculture from foreign investments. This might involve tracking investments that could undermine agricultural production and exposing companies to foreign espionage aimed at U.S. agricultural intellectual property and technologies.
Summary
SB179, also known as the Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act, aims to amend the Defense Production Act of 1950 to enhance the protection of the United States agriculture industry against foreign influence. The bill emphasizes the need for safeguards in agriculture production and supply chains, addressing concerns about foreign control and investments that could disrupt domestic agricultural operations. By including agricultural systems and supply chains as part of critical infrastructure, the bill seeks to fortify national agriculture against foreign adversaries.
Contention
There may be considerable debate surrounding the bill, particularly regarding the balance of economic openness and national security. Critics might argue that while protecting agriculture from foreign control is essential, excessive scrutiny of foreign investments could hinder beneficial partnerships and contributions from global investors. Furthermore, the methods and criteria for assessing foreign threats in agriculture will likely be points of contention among legislators as they discuss the implications of such oversight.
Prohibits certain noncitizens, foreign governments, and foreign entities from taking any real property that is zoned as industrial, light industrial, heavy industrial, residential agricultural, agricultural or rural agricultural.
Protecting America's Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025This bill prohibits persons associated with the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States.Specifically, the President must prohibit any person (individual or entity) owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of these foreign governments from purchasing or leasing (1) public agricultural land that is owned by the United States and administered by a federal department or agency, or (2) private agricultural land that is located in the United States.A person that violates or attempts to violate this prohibition is subject to civil and criminal penalties. This prohibition does not require a person that owns or leases agricultural land as of the date of this bill's enactment to sell that land.Further, the President must prohibit a person associated with these foreign governments and who leases, or who has full or partial ownership of, agricultural land in the United States from participating in Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Exceptions are included to allow for participation in USDA programs related to food safety, the health and labor safety of individuals, or certain reporting and disclosure requirements.The bill excludes U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents from these restrictions.The bill also amends the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) to require reporting on security interests and leases.Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress on AFIDA.