Press Releases

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Western Caucus Members issued statements responding to the latest report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office on the dangers of foreign investment and ownership of U.S. farmland.

“This report confirms one of our worst fears: that not only is the USDA unable to answer the question of who owns what land and where, but that there is no plan by the department to internally reverse this dangerous flaw that affects our supply chain and economy. Food security is national security, and we cannot allow foreign adversaries to influence our food supply while we stick our heads in the sand,” said Chairman Dan Newhouse (WA-04). “I will, in my capacity as a member of the Select Committee on the CCP, Chairman of the Western Caucus, and as a member of the House Appropriations Committee, be working to introduce measures aimed at fixing USDA’s internal reporting and data management to identify to Congress, and the American people, exactly who is investing in the over 40 million acres of U.S. farm land reported to have ties to foreign actors.”

“Growing foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, particularly by China, poses a direct threat to our food security and national security,” said House Committee on Agriculture Chairman Glenn “GT” Thompson (PA-15) and House Committee on Oversight and Accountability Chairman James Comer (KY-01). “Safeguarding our farmland and food supply requires a whole of government approach and we will continue to work with the impacted agencies, related committees, and leadership to continue our robust oversight and to identify legislative vehicles to address the findings of the GAO report.”