Messmer Column: Protecting Indiana's Farmland

Local Sources-  On this week's Messmer Column, State Senator Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) talks protecting Indiana's farmland. 

Indiana's farmland is one of our state's most substantial assets. As one of the nation's biggest agricultural leaders, it is important we protect these resources from foreign interests.

We have seen a concerning rise in Chinese ownership of the American food supply over the years.  In the last decade, Chinese firms have been buying up farmland and purchasing major agribusinesses. In 2020, Chinese owners controlled an estimated 192,000 acres of farmland in the US, worth nearly $2 billion.

This land grab is part of the Chinese Communist Party's "One Belt One Road" program, which aims to control a greater piece of China's food supply chain.

To prevent these types of entities from overtaking our farmland, and to keep our food supply chain local, I authored Senate Enrolled Act 388. This new law caps the amount of agricultural land that a foreign business entity can acquire in Indiana to 320 acres for crop farming and 10 acres of timber production.

Additionally, this law specifically states that there will be no sale of any real property to Russian businesses for at least one year. Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, this language was inserted into the bill to ensure additional protections to Hoosiers and protest Russia's unacceptable military overreach.

If the U.S. continues to sell land to outside interests, we could face a land monopoly that could be used as a dangerous tool against us. These types of restrictions on foreign ownership have already been implemented in states such as Iowa and Minnesota, with hopefully more to come.

I believe these measures will help ensure Hoosiers control the natural resources we have been blessed with and that our food and property don't fall into the wrong hands.

As always, feel free to contact my office directly with your questions and concerns by email at [email protected] or by phone at 800-382-9467.