According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, foreign ownership of U.S. land is up 40% since 2016. As of 2022, over 438,000 acres in Indiana were owned by foreign entities.

As these numbers continue growing, concerns about food security and national agricultural security are rising. This session, the Indiana House of Representatives unanimously passed bipartisan legislation to prevent foreign adversaries from leasing or owning Hoosier farmland. That would include mineral, water and riparian rights on Indiana agricultural land. In addition, an affidavit confirming the purchaser is not a foreign adversary or working with a country that is considered a foreign adversary must be provided at the real estate closing of agricultural land. Foreign adversaries would also be prohibited from owning or leasing land within 50 miles of a military installation and 10 miles from any Indiana National Guard armory or maintenance facility.

The U.S. Department of Commerce maintains a list of adversarial countries, which currently includes Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.

Tennessee, California and Texas are working on similar legislation to limit and address the growing concern of foreign land ownership across the country. Recently, U.S. Sens. Mike Braun and Todd Young, and congressional members submitted a public letter in full support of this legislation. Learn more about House Bill 1183 and track it through the legislative process at iga.in.gov.