PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in House · Feb 18, 2025
Protecting America's Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025
This bill prohibits persons associated with the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from purchasing or leasing agricultural land in the United States.
Specifically, the President must prohibit any person (individual or entity) owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of these foreign governments from purchasing or leasing (1) public agricultural land that is owned by the United States and administered by a federal department or agency, or (2) private agricultural land that is located in the United States.
Showing the opening paragraphs of the official summary.
A person that violates or attempts to violate this prohibition is subject to civil and criminal penalties. This prohibition does not require a person that owns or leases agricultural land as of the date of this bill's enactment to sell that land.
Further, the President must prohibit a person associated with these foreign governments and who leases, or who has full or partial ownership of, agricultural land in the United States from participating in Department of Agriculture (USDA) programs. Exceptions are included to allow for participation in USDA programs related to food safety, the health and labor safety of individuals, or certain reporting and disclosure requirements.
The bill excludes U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents from these restrictions.
The bill also amends the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) to require reporting on security interests and leases.
Finally, the Government Accountability Office must submit a report to Congress on AFIDA.
People & committees
Rep. Strong, Dale W. [R-AL-5] · R–AL
Legislative record
A procedural vote is different from passage. Passage in one chamber does not establish enactment. Explore the glossary.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Primary sources
Text links open the official source. We also preserved the text version used in the PlainBill explanation below.
Source last updated: Dec 5, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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PlainBill explanation
Based on the full Introduced in House · 2025-02-18 text. This explanation has not received human editorial review. This overview describes the proposal’s major provisions; it does not establish what its real-world effects would be.
This proposal would bar certain people and entities linked to the governments of Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia from buying or leasing U.S. agricultural land and, if they wholly or partly own or lease U.S. agricultural land, from participating in many Agriculture Department programs. U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents would be excluded from those restrictions. It would also expand foreign agricultural investment reporting, change penalty language, and require more public data. Section 3 would not require existing covered owners or lessees to sell their land.
each reference to foreign adversary in that definition shall be deemed to be a reference to the Government of— (i) Iran; (ii) North Korea; (iii) the People's Republic of China; or (iv) the Russian Federation.
The term covered person does not include a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President shall take such actions as may be necessary to prohibit the purchase or lease by covered persons of— (1) public agricultural land that is owned by the United States and administered by the head of any Federal department or agency, including the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Defense; or (2) private agricultural land located in the United States.
Except as provided in subsection (b), notwithstanding any other provision of the law, the President shall take such actions as may be necessary to prohibit participation in Department of Agriculture programs by covered persons that have full or partial ownership of agricultural land in the United States or lease agricultural land in the United States.
the term interest includes— (A) a security interest; and (B) a lease, without regard to the duration of the lease;
by striking exceed 25 percent and inserting be less than 15 percent, or exceed 30 percent,
The Secretary shall publish in the internet database established under section 742 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (7 U.S.C. 3501 note; Public Law 118–42) human-readable and machine-readable data sets
Nothing in this section may be construed—
(3) to require a covered person that owns or leases public or private agricultural land described in subsection (a) as of the date of enactment of this Act to sell that land.
The bill would be called the Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025.
This Act may be cited as the Protecting America’s Agricultural Land from Foreign Harm Act of 2025.
Agricultural land would use an existing statutory definition and expressly include qualifying ranching land. The bill's geographic scope would include U.S. states, territories, and possessions.
The term agricultural land has the meaning given the term in section 9 of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3508).
The term agricultural land includes land described in section 9(1) of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3508(1)) that is used for ranching purposes.
The term United States includes any State, territory, or possession of the United States.
Who counts as a covered person would depend on an existing regulation concerning foreign-government ownership, control, jurisdiction, or direction, using that regulation as it stands on enactment. The bill would limit the relevant governments to Iran, North Korea, China, and Russia and exclude U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents.
The term covered person has the meaning given the term person owned by, controlled by, or subject to the jurisdiction or direction of a foreign adversary in section 7.2 of title 15, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act), except that each reference to foreign adversary in that definition shall be deemed to be a reference to the Government of— (i) Iran; (ii) North Korea; (iii) the People's Republic of China; or (iv) the Russian Federation.
The term covered person does not include a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States.
The President would have to take necessary action to prohibit covered persons from buying or leasing federally owned agricultural land administered by federal agencies or privately owned agricultural land in the United States. This requirement would apply notwithstanding other laws.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President shall take such actions as may be necessary to prohibit the purchase or lease by covered persons of— (1) public agricultural land that is owned by the United States and administered by the head of any Federal department or agency, including the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Defense; or (2) private agricultural land located in the United States.
To implement the land restriction, the President could use authorities in sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The supplied bill does not reproduce those authorities.
The President may exercise all authorities provided under sections 203 and 205 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1702 and 1704) to carry out subsection (a).
Knowingly violating, attempting or conspiring to violate, or causing a violation of the land restriction or its implementing regulations, licenses, or orders would trigger penalties incorporated from the International Emergency Economic Powers Act. The supplied bill does not reproduce those penalties.
A person that knowingly violates, attempts to violate, conspires to violate, or causes a violation of subsection (a) or any regulation, license, or order issued to carry out that subsection shall be subject to the penalties set forth in subsections (b) and (c) of section 206 of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1705) to the same extent as a person that commits an unlawful act described in subsection (a) of that section.
Section 3 would preserve purchases and leases by people or entities outside the covered group. It also would not affect their use of land transferred to or acquired by them from a covered person.
Nothing in this section may be construed— (1) to prohibit or otherwise affect the purchase or lease of public or private agricultural land described in subsection (a) by any person other than a covered person; (2) to prohibit or otherwise affect the use of public or private agricultural land described in subsection (a) that is transferred to or acquired by a person other than a covered person from a covered person;
Section 3 would not require a covered person who owns or leases the specified agricultural land on the enactment date to sell it.
Nothing in this section may be construed—
(3) to require a covered person that owns or leases public or private agricultural land described in subsection (a) as of the date of enactment of this Act to sell that land.
The President would have to prohibit participation in Agriculture Department programs by covered persons who wholly or partly own, or lease, U.S. agricultural land, subject to the listed exceptions.
Except as provided in subsection (b), notwithstanding any other provision of the law, the President shall take such actions as may be necessary to prohibit participation in Department of Agriculture programs by covered persons that have full or partial ownership of agricultural land in the United States or lease agricultural land in the United States.
The program restriction would exclude programs relating to food inspection and other food-safety regulatory requirements, programs concerning individuals' health and labor safety, and Farm Service Agency programs with respect to administration of this bill or the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act.
Subsection (a) shall not apply to participation in any program— (1) relating to— (A) food inspection or any other food safety regulatory requirements; or (B) health and labor safety of individuals; or (2) administered by the Farm Service Agency, with respect to the administration of this Act or the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).
Someone who meets the foreign-government connection definition but is excluded because of U.S. citizenship or lawful permanent residence would have to prove that status to the Agriculture Secretary to participate in the excepted programs. Programs under this bill or the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act would be exempt from that proof requirement.
To participate in a Department of Agriculture program described in subsection (b) (except for a program under this Act or the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.)), a person described in subparagraph (A) of section 2(2) that is a person described in subparagraph (B) of that section shall submit to the Secretary proof that the person is described in subparagraph (B) of that section.
(B) Exclusions The term covered person does not include a United States citizen or an alien lawfully admitted for permanent residence to the United States. (3) Secretary The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.
For foreign agricultural investment reporting, the bill would expressly define an interest to include security interests and leases of any duration. It would also remove the words excluding security interests from section 2 of the disclosure law.
the term interest includes— (A) a security interest; and (B) a lease, without regard to the duration of the lease;
Section 2 of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501) is amended by striking , other than a security interest, each place it appears.
In section 3(b) of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act, the bill would replace “exceed 25 percent” with “be less than 15 percent, or exceed 30 percent,”. The supplied text does not reproduce the surrounding statutory sentence, so it does not establish the amendment's full effect or the penalty calculation base.
Section 3 of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3502) is amended— (1) in subsection (b), by striking exceed 25 percent and inserting be less than 15 percent, or exceed 30 percent,
When imposing a penalty under the referenced disclosure-law provision, the Agriculture Secretary would have to ensure a lien is placed on the agricultural land involved. The lien could be released only upon payment of the penalty.
On imposing a penalty under subsection (a), the Secretary shall ensure that a lien is placed on the agricultural land with respect to which the violation occurred, which shall be released only on payment of the penalty.
The Agriculture Secretary would have to publish all reporting data the Secretary possesses from each disclosure report in the internet database identified by the bill, in formats readable by people and computers. Updates would be required as soon as practicable and no later than 30 days after receiving a report.
The Secretary shall publish in the internet database established under section 742 of division B of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024 (7 U.S.C. 3501 note; Public Law 118–42) human-readable and machine-readable data sets that— (1) contain all data that the Secretary possesses relating to reporting under this Act from each report submitted to the Secretary under section 2; and (2) as soon as practicable, but not later than 30 days, after the date of receipt of any report under section 2, shall be updated with the data from that report.
Public data would include the purchase price or other consideration given for each reported land interest. As information becomes available to the Secretary, it would also include updated estimated values based on the latest assessed land value or another comparable method chosen by the Secretary.
The data sets established under subsection (a) shall include— (1) a description of— (A) the purchase price paid for, or any other consideration given for, each interest in agricultural land for which a report is submitted under section 2; and (B) updated estimated values of each interest in agricultural land described in subparagraph (A), as that information is made available to the Secretary, based on the most recently assessed value of the agricultural land or another comparable method determined by the Secretary;
For reported land, the public data would include updated descriptions of foreign persons holding at least a 1 percent interest, as information becomes available to the Secretary. Each would be categorized as a majority or minority owner.
with respect to any agricultural land for which a report is submitted under section 2, updated descriptions of each foreign person who holds an interest in at least 1 percent of the agricultural land, as that information is made available to the Secretary, categorized as a majority owner or a minority owner that holds an interest in the agricultural land.
The bill would add to the disclosure law's definition of a foreign person entities, other than individuals or governments, that issue equity securities primarily traded on a foreign securities exchange in Iran, North Korea, China, or Russia.
(d) Definition of foreign person Section 9(3) of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3508(3)) is amended—
(E) any person, other than an individual or a government, that issues equity securities that are primarily traded on a foreign securities exchange within— (i) Iran; (ii) North Korea; (iii) the People's Republic of China; or (iv) the Russian Federation;
Within one year after enactment and every two years afterward, the Agriculture Secretary would have to report to Congress on assessed risks and benefits of foreign ownership or leasing in rural areas, inaccurate ownership reporting, efforts to monitor erroneous reports, and state and local tracking roles. These are required subjects of study, not established findings about effects.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and once every 2 years thereafter, the Secretary shall submit to Congress a report describing— (A) the risks and benefits, as determined by the Secretary, that are associated with foreign ownership or lease of agricultural land in rural areas (as defined in section 520 of the Housing Act of 1949 (42 U.S.C. 1490)); (B) the intended and unintended misrepresentation of foreign land ownership in the annual reports prepared by the Secretary describing foreign holdings of agricultural land due to inaccurate reporting of foreign holdings of agricultural land; (C) the specific work that the Secretary has undertaken to monitor erroneous reporting required by the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.) that would result in a violation or civil penalty; and (D) the role of State and local government authorities in tracking foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States.
For the Agriculture Secretary's recurring report, the Secretary would have to establish a plan to protect personally identifiable information.
In carrying out paragraph (1), the Secretary shall establish a plan to ensure the protection of personally identifiable information.
Within one year after enactment and every two years afterward, the Director of National Intelligence would have to report to specified congressional committees and leaders on foreign malign influence, using a definition incorporated from existing law, by covered persons with foreign ownership in U.S. agriculture and on foreign investors' primary motives for acquiring agricultural land. The report would be unclassified but could include a classified annex.
Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, and once every 2 years thereafter, the Director of National Intelligence shall submit to the congressional recipients described in paragraph (2) a report describing— (A) an analysis of foreign malign influence (as defined in section 119C(e) of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 3059(e))) by covered persons that have foreign ownership in the United States agriculture industry; and (B) the primary motives, as determined by the Director of National Intelligence, of foreign investors to acquire agricultural land.
The report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted to— (A) the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs of the Senate; (B) the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate; (C) the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate; (D) the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate; (E) the Committee on Financial Services of the House of Representatives; (F) the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives; (G) the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; (H) the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; (I) the majority leader of the Senate; (J) the minority leader of the Senate; (K) the Speaker of the House of Representatives; and (L) the minority leader of the House of Representatives.
The report under paragraph (1) shall be submitted in an unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.
Within one year after enactment, the Comptroller General would have to report to Congress on resources, staffing, expertise, and enforcement problems under the agricultural foreign investment disclosure law, along with recommended necessary changes.
(c) Government Accountability Office report Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to Congress a report describing— (1) a review of resources, staffing, and expertise for carrying out the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.), and enforcement issues limiting the effectiveness of that Act; and (2) any recommended necessary changes to that Act.
The supplied official-actions snapshot, updated December 5, 2025, records introduction in the House on February 18, 2025, and referral that day to the Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, and Permanent Select Intelligence Committees.
Source snapshot updated 2025-12-05T21:57:11Z.
2025-02-18: Introduced in House
2025-02-18: Referred to the Committee on Agriculture, and in addition to the Committees on Foreign Affairs, and Intelligence (Permanent Select), for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
A closer look
Reviewed version: Introduced in House · 2025-02-18. These findings describe provisions and who may benefit; they are not judgments of waste, corruption, or motive.
This review covers the supplied bill text. “None identified” does not rule out provisions in later versions or accompanying reports and disclosures.
Provisions outside the bill’s main subject, or policy changes attached to appropriations.
None identified in the reviewed text
No unrelated provision or policy change attached to appropriations was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Spending directed to particular recipients or places outside ordinary competitive or formula-based allocation.
None identified in the reviewed text
No congressionally directed spending for particular recipients or places was identified after reviewing the complete supplied introduced text. This conclusion is limited to that version and does not establish absence in other versions or accompanying materials.
Narrow exceptions, exemptions, or preferential treatment that warrant a closer look.
Findings to examine
The supplied introduced text contains a narrow protection warranting scrutiny as a targeted benefit. This classification does not judge whether the protection is justified.
Covered persons who already own or lease the specified agricultural land on enactment would receive an express protection against being required by section 3 to sell it. This preserves existing holdings against a forced-sale requirement under that section while the main policy would prohibit purchases and leases by covered persons; it does not exempt those holders from every other provision.
Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the President shall take such actions as may be necessary to prohibit the purchase or lease by covered persons of— (1) public agricultural land that is owned by the United States and administered by the head of any Federal department or agency, including the Secretary, the Secretary of the Interior, and the Secretary of Defense; or (2) private agricultural land located in the United States.
Nothing in this section may be construed—
(3) to require a covered person that owns or leases public or private agricultural land described in subsection (a) as of the date of enactment of this Act to sell that land.
Full text preserved for this analysis. Legislative record snapshot: Dec 5, 2025. How PlainBill uses AI