Contact: Iowa Cattlemen's Association, 515-296-2266, Contact Us.
AMES, Iowa – Last night, Gov. Kim Reynolds delivered her Condition of the State address to Iowans. The address unveiled her vision for Iowa, which included a key policy priority for the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association (ICA): enhancing restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land.
“At our recent annual meeting, ICA members voted to enact policy to protect food security and national security by limiting foreign ownership of agricultural land,” said ICA CEO Bryan Whaley. “Current federal law imposes no restrictions on the amount of private agricultural land that may be foreign-owned. The Iowa Legislature can’t control what’s happening in other states but our elected officials can ensure Iowa farmland continues to be owned and operated by Iowa farm families.”
Foreign investors own more than 40 million acres of agricultural land nationwide. Between 2010 and 2021, nearly 16 million of those acres were purchased by foreign investors. While this only totals approximately three percent of all U.S. private land, it’s been more than enough to garner the attention of federal lawmakers and ICA members.
“There are already enough barriers for farmers, particularly young producers, to build and grow a profitable operation,” said Whaley. “As we look at maintaining our family farms and ultimately our food chain, we need to make sure we eliminate things that threaten our member’s way of life. We are grateful to have the support of Gov. Reynolds on this issue."
ICA appreciates the commitment to tightening restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land in Iowa and looks forward to working alongside Gov. Reynolds to enhance our existing laws.