Bills · HR 1629
IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS
House BillHR 1629Agriculture and Food
Farmland Security Act of 2025
INTRO FEB 26· LAST ACTION FEB 26
READING
4MIN
COSPONSORS
2
READER REACTIONS0 TOTAL
NO VOTES YET · BE THE FIRST
- Introduced only
LEGISLATIVE PROGRESS
STEP 2 / 8Introduced
In Committee
Reported
Passed House
Passed Senate
Conference
To President
Became Law
WHAT THE BILL DOES
AI-writtenThis bill matters because it aims to address growing concerns about transparency and accountability regarding foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. Currently, there's limited visibility into who owns significant portions of American farmland, especially when ownership is hidden behind shell corporations. If this bill becomes law, it would make it much more difficult for foreign entities to acquire farmland without proper disclosure, by imposing severe financial consequences.
For voters, this could mean better understanding of who controls America's food-producing assets, potentially impacting issues like food security, land prices for American farmers, and the vitality of rural communities. If the bill doesn't pass, the current system with capped penalties and less rigorous oversight would remain, continuing existing concerns about undisclosed foreign investment and its potential long-term effects on the U.S. agricultural landscape.
KEY PROVISIONS
5AI-extractedPROVISION 01
Removes the upper limit on civil penalties for violations of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978.
This allows for much higher fines to be imposed on foreign persons who fail to report their agricultural land holdings as required.
PROVISION 02
Establishes a civil penalty of 100% of the fair market value of agricultural land for foreign-owned shell corporations that fail to report their holdings and do not fix the issue within 60 days.
This creates a powerful deterrent against using shell corporations to hide foreign ownership of U.S. farmland, aiming for full transparency.
PROVISION 03
Requires the Secretary of Agriculture to conduct annual compliance audits of at least 10% of foreign ownership reports and to provide annual training to state and county personnel on identifying unreported foreign-owned agricultural land.
This provision aims to significantly improve the enforcement and accuracy of foreign investment disclosure laws by proactively identifying violations.
PROVISION 04
Mandates annual reports to Congress detailing research on foreign agricultural leasing, trends in purchases by foreign-owned shell corporations, and foreign ownership of agricultural production capacity.
This ensures ongoing oversight and a deeper understanding of the impact of foreign investment on U.S. agriculture, food supply, and family farms.
PROVISION 05
Authorizes $2,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2025 through 2030 for the Secretary of Agriculture to carry out the provisions of this Act.
This provides the necessary funding to implement the new audits, training programs, and research required by the bill.
SPONSORSHIP
1 + 2
D· Washington
YRS IN OFFICE
3
BILLS LED
27
COSPONSOR BREAKDOWNBIPARTISAN · 0%
DEM 0 REP 2 IND 0
ACTION TIMELINE
2 EVENTSFEB 26
Introduced in House
FEB 26
Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.
BILL INFO
TypeHouse Bill
NumberHR 1629
Congress119th
StatusIn Committee
IntroducedFeb 26, 2025
Last actionFeb 26, 2025
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IN COMMITTEE· 119TH CONGRESS · AGRICULTURE COMMITTEE · INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2025
House BillHR 1629Agriculture and Food
Farmland Security Act of 2025
INTRODUCED FEB 26, 2025· LAST ACTION FEB 26, 2025
PASSAGE CHANCES
—%
READING
4 min
COSPONSORS
2
COMPLEXITY
Moderate
