Hawley’s Bill Targets China’s Grab of U.S. Farmland Amid National Security Fears

Washington, D.C. - Senator Josh Hawley, R-Mo., is taking a bold stand against foreign influence with his new Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act, introduced Thursday. The legislation aims to slam the door on the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and its affiliates purchasing American farmland and residential properties, a move that echoes growing concerns in the Trump administration about national security risks tied to such ownership, especially near military bases.

Hawley’s bill doesn’t mince words: it outright bans Chinese corporations and CCP-linked individuals from snapping up U.S. agricultural land, while imposing a two-year prohibition on residential purchases, renewable by the president. "China’s grip on our farmland is a direct threat to America’s heartland," Hawley said in a statement to WTFNewsRoom. "Letting our adversaries control our food supply or housing is like handing them the keys to our future."

The legislation demands that CCP-affiliated owners divest their U.S. land holdings within a year or face steep fines and potential forfeiture. This comes as the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) rolls out its National Farm Security Action Plan, spotlighting threats from foreign governments like China. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins didn’t hold back at a recent D.C. press event, stating, "Our farms aren’t just fields—they’re the backbone of our way of life, and hostile regimes know it. They’re weaponizing our land against us."

Rollins was joined by heavy hitters like Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, signaling a unified front. While states like Texas have already cracked down on foreign land purchases, data from 2021 showed over 383,000 acres tied to China—a number that’s dipped but still raises eyebrows.

Hawley’s push isn’t just about policy; it’s a call to protect the soul of rural America from being chipped away by foreign interests. With the USDA sounding the alarm, this fight is just beginning.