Farm data on foreign land buyers would go to national security reviewers
In committeeH.R. 8722Latest action
Sponsor: Don Bacon · Representative · NE
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Official title: To require the Secretary of Agriculture to enter into a memoranda of understanding with CFIUS with respect to reports under AFIDA and to update the AFIDA handbook.
119th Congress
Topics: Jobs & the economy
Introduced:
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HR 8722 requires USDA to share foreign farmland ownership data with the national security body that reviews foreign investment deals.
55-second read · 4 questions answered below
What does this do?
HR 8722 would require the Department of Agriculture to share data collected under the 1978 Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act with CFIUS, the federal body that reviews foreign purchases of American assets for national security risks. The two agencies would have one year to establish a formal data-sharing agreement. The bill also requires USDA to update its AFIDA instruction handbook to reflect a 2024 government watchdog report's recommendations, with mandatory revisions every ten years after that.
Who does it affect?
Foreign nationals and foreign companies that own or purchase U.S. farmland are most directly affected, as their reported information would now be sent to a national security review body. Federal agencies handling agricultural land data and foreign investment oversight are also affected.
Why does it matter?
The 2024 government watchdog report found problems with how AFIDA data is collected, tracked, and shared, which this bill aims to address through the handbook update. American farmers and rural landowners could be indirectly affected if greater scrutiny leads to changes in who is able to purchase nearby agricultural land, though the bill does not itself restrict any purchases.
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Where does it stand?
- IntroducedMay 11, 2026
- House committeeYou are here · May 11, 2026
- House vote
- Senate
- The president's desk
Right now: a House committee is reviewing it. If the Senate changes it, it goes back to the House before reaching the president.
Latest action: — Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.