Chinese entities currently hold 277,336 acres of U.S. agricultural land-primarily in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah, and Florida-according to the USDA. The land includes cropland, forest, and livestock operations, with notable clusters located within 150 miles of at least 30 U.S. military installations.

The concern, as expressed by Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, is not just about land ownership-it's about protecting national interests. "Agriculture is not just about feeding a family but about protecting our nation," she said while announcing the National Farm Security Action Plan.

Peter Navarro, senior trade adviser at the White House, added that the issue resembles economic warfare. "The acme of warfare is to win without firing a shot," he said, quoting Sun Tzu.

Smithfield and the Pork Supply Chain

The largest Chinese landholder in the U.S. is Murphy-Brown, a division of Smithfield Foods, itself owned by China's WH Group, a state-controlled entity. Smithfield controls 132,310 acres, nearly half of all Chinese-owned U.S. farmland, with concentrations in North Carolina, Missouri, and Utah.

In North Carolina, Smithfield's properties sit within miles of key military sites, including Fort Bragg and Cherry Point Air Station. Two farms are in the same counties as those bases, while others operate processing facilities nearby.

State-Owned Giants and Seed Control

In 2017, ChemChina, another Chinese state-owned enterprise, acquired Syngenta Seeds, gaining 2,453 acres in U.S. counties home to military bases like Fort Wayne (IN) and Fort Riley (KS). Analysts have flagged these holdings as strategically sensitive, especially given Syngenta's global role in seed technology and crop protection.

Navarro has raised concerns that the move is part of a broader strategy to manipulate agricultural supply chains, warning that "seeds really can be the revolution that keeps the world fed."

Texas Wind Project Raises Red Flags

Sun Guangxin, a former Chinese military officer, purchased 116,699 acres in Val Verde County, Texas, via Brazos Highland Properties and Harvest Texas. The land, located near Laughlin Air Force Base, was initially intended for a wind farm, but the project was halted by Texas Senate Bill 17, part of the Lone Star Infrastructure Protection Act.

Although Sun sold the wind development to a Spanish firm, his company, GH America Energy, retained contractual interests-sparking further scrutiny.

Real Estate Proximity to Military Bases

Walton Global, a real estate investment firm with heavy Chinese ownership, has amassed over 1,200 acres of U.S. farmland across Colorado, Texas, Florida, Arizona, and Maryland. Several of its subsidiaries own parcels near Joint Base Andrews and Aberdeen Proving Ground.

Marketing materials reportedly emphasize proximity to military bases as a selling point, especially to Chinese investors.

Five Walton subsidiaries with secondary Chinese ownership have acquired farmland in Florida, Colorado, and Arizona.

Source: USDA Annual Report, Dec. 2023

Legislative Response Accelerates Nationwide

The USDA, with coordination from Homeland Security, Defense, and Justice, is implementing the National Farm Security Action Plan to address foreign threats. In parallel, a wave of state legislation is moving to restrict or ban foreign ownership:

• Texas passed Senate Bill 17, banning land purchases by adversarial nations.

• North Carolina advanced Senate Bill 394, blocking land purchases within 25 miles of military bases.

• Missouri is considering a constitutional amendment to ban all foreign ag land ownership.

• Utah recently blocked a Chinese acquisition under new law.

• Florida's SB 264 bars Chinese nationals and entities from holding real estate, although legal challenges are pending.

At the federal level, 149 bills addressing foreign land ownership were introduced across 36 states, and 19 bills have entered the U.S. Congress this year alone.