Farmland Security Act of 2025

This bill tightens the rules on foreign purchases of U.S. farmland. It strengthens the 1978 law that makes foreign buyers report their land to the USDA. The old cap on fines (25% of the land’s value) is removed, so the USDA can set higher fines when someone breaks the reporting rules. For foreign-owned “shell” companies—businesses with little or no real operations—the fine can be 100% of the land’s value, unless they fix a missing or wrong filing within 60 days after the USDA notifies them.

It also adds more oversight. The USDA must audit at least 10% of reports every year and train state and county staff to spot land that should have been reported but wasn’t. The USDA must study foreign investment in U.S. farmland and report to Congress, starting 180 days after the law takes effect and then every year. The research must look at foreign leasing, shell-company purchases, and the effects on family farms, rural communities, and our food supply, plus foreign ownership of farm production capacity. It authorizes $2 million per year for 2025–2030 to carry out this work.

Key points

• Who is affected: Foreign investors in U.S. farmland (especially shell companies), the USDA, and state/county staff; the research focuses on impacts to family farms and rural communities.
• What changes: Higher fines with no cap; 100% fine for foreign-owned shell companies that don’t fix filings; required audits and training; yearly research and reports; dedicated funding.
• When: Shell companies get 60 days after notice to fix filings; first USDA report is due 180 days after enactment, then annually; funding runs 2025–2030.