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Land has long been central to food production, resources, and national security, which historically led to restrictions on foreign ownership. While the United States has shifted between openness and restriction, concerns often rise when foreign control is perceived as threatening domestic resources or sovereignty. Today, debates over foreign ownership of agricultural land still reflect concerns about food security, economic influence, and national security in a globalized economy. 

According to the USDA Farm Service Agency, as of December 31, 2023, foreign investors held interests in nearly 45 million acres of U.S. agricultural and forest land. This reflects an increase of more than 1.5 million acres since the end of 2022 and represents approximately 3.5% of all privately held farmland in the United States. 

This Virtual Resource Room serves as a comprehensive collection of information on foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States. It includes resources on applicable laws and regulations, along with governmental, academic, and legal publications addressing oversight, policy developments, and related issues. 

This guide is intended to represent a collection of legal resources relating to geographical indications. While the Center for Agricultural and Shale Law makes every effort to maintain and update the content furnished in this resource room, no warranty or other guarantee is made regarding the timeliness or accuracy of any information provided.

 

The Center for Agricultural and Shale Law (CASL) wishes to acknowledge Caden Dean-Sauter, a J.D. candidate at Penn State Dickinson Law, Class of 2026, and a research assistant at the Center for his work as one of the primary architects and researchers whose work is reflected in this collection of resources.