It’s no secret that farmers are the backbone of the United States. Without their hard work, Americans wouldn’t be able to have access to fresh meat and vegetables. These farmers also work under difficult conditions, such as severe weather or drought which impacts their harvest.

But while these hard-working Americans are helping to provide the country with homegrown food, there are foreign nations that are looking to buy up farmland across the U.S. One of the major players involved in this is China. It’s obvious that Chinese owned farmlands aren’t operating in the best interests of the United States.

And this is why the Trump administration is looking to fight back. They understand that without American farmers, the United States won’t have the access to affordable, fresh produce and meat. But as long as China is buying up farmland in the country, then the amount of American farmers will significantly decrease.

The Trump Administration’s Plan To Protect American Farmland

The Trump administration has launched a comprehensive plan to shield America’s agricultural heartland, food supply, and cutting-edge research from foreign influence, with a particular focus on China. Unveiled on Tuesday, the National Farm Security Action Plan is a coordinated, multi-agency effort to secure the nation’s farmlands and food systems.

Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, joined by cabinet heavyweights like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and trade adviser Peter Navarro, introduced the initiative at a press conference held at the Department of Agriculture’s headquarters. “American agriculture is not just about feeding our families, but about protecting our nation and standing up to foreign adversaries who are buying our farmland, stealing our research, and creating dangerous vulnerabilities in the very systems that sustain us,” Rollins declared.

The plan takes direct aim at foreign entities, especially from “countries of concern” like China, with swift actions to curb their influence. Over 700 foreign nationals from these nations will be removed from USDA contracts and research agreements, while regulatory measures will target more than 550 additional foreign entities.

The urgency of these steps was highlighted by recent incidents, including the June arrest of two Chinese researchers at the University of Michigan, charged with attempting to smuggle a crop-destroying fungus into the U.S. “Both of them have ties to the CCP,” Bondi stated, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. She also disclosed the arrest of another Chinese citizen for smuggling concealed biological materials. “It’s going to stop. FBI has opened over 100 bio-smuggler investigations in recent years. We will prosecute you. We will hold you accountable,” she vowed.

A cornerstone of the initiative is a ban on farmland purchases by Chinese nationals, addressing concerns over their ownership of more than 265,000 acres of U.S. land, often located near critical military installations. A review by the New York Post identified at least 19 such sites, from Florida to Hawaii, at risk of surveillance through drones, radar, or infrared scanning. Rollins stressed that the USDA will terminate all agreements with individuals or entities from adversarial nations and prioritize American-made technology and research.

The administration is also focused on strengthening agricultural research security to combat intellectual property theft and agroterrorism. This includes reforming the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act, raising penalties for late or false filings to 25% of the land’s fair market value. Additionally, the USDA will intensify scrutiny of its food stamp program to prevent fraud by transnational criminal networks, ensuring that retailers involved in schemes like card skimming lose funding. With the department spending over $405 million daily on such programs, these reforms aim to protect taxpayers and vulnerable communities alike.

Drawing on historical and modern strategic insights, Navarro referenced Sun Tzu’s The Art of War, noting that today’s adversaries aim to win without direct conflict. He pointed to China’s acquisition of Smithfield Foods, which controls roughly one-eighth of the global pork supply, as a tactic in “unrestricted warfare.” This includes stealing agricultural research or controlling critical supply chains. To counter this, the USDA will catalog supply chain dependencies on adversarial nations and propose solutions.

The plan also addresses past controversies, such as a 2018 DARPA grant proposal linked to the Wuhan Institute of Virology, which outlined a “blueprint” for creating the virus behind COVID-19, though it was never funded. The USDA is also terminating a collaboration with a Wuhan-affiliated researcher on “highly pathogenic” bird flu experiments, previously funded with up to $1 million in taxpayer money, after it was exposed by Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa).

Republican governors Sarah Huckabee Sanders (Arkansas), Jim Pillen (Nebraska), and Bill Lee (Tennessee) attended the announcement, signaling robust state-level support. Rollins praised states for their leadership and expressed optimism about bipartisan cooperation, noting ongoing work with Democratic governors on SNAP reforms. “My hope is that this is a significant bipartisan issue,” she said, emphasizing a shared commitment to national security.

President Trump is expected to sign an executive order soon to further address foreign encroachment, reinforcing the administration’s resolve to secure America’s agricultural foundation. With a strong coalition of federal and state leaders, the National Farm Security Action Plan is hoping to protect the nation’s food supply and rural communities from foreign threats.

Are you concerned with foreign nations like China buying up American farmland? Let us know your thoughts by posting in the comments below!