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Foreign ag land ownership is back again as state legislative sessions begin

A staff attorney at the National Agricultural Law Center says lawmakers in at least 16 states are expected to take a closer look at foreign ag land ownership this year.

Micah Brown says Missouri is starting the year taking a completely different approach to the issue with the governor’s executive order restricting foreign ownership of land 10 miles from a military facility.

“There’s a lot of legislative proposals to amend the current foreign ag land ownership law.”

Brown says other states to watch this year include Texas, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin and Nebraska.

“I know they’re taking a look at this as well.”

He says a patchwork of foreign ag land laws across the country would have different impacts on land transactions and landowners should be following the discussions for possible updates.