News

Hearing held on Wisconsin foreign ag land ownership bill

Note: Wisconsin Radio Network’s Bob Hague covered the hearing at the Capitol for Brownfield.

State legislation prohibiting foreign adversaries from acquiring Wisconsin agricultural or forestry land had a hearing this week.

Representative and Assembly author William Penterman said according to USDA, 2.6% or roughly 600,000 acres of Wisconsin farmland is owned by foreign persons. “It is difficult to tell exactly how much is foreign, or owned by the foreign adversaries, as would be defined in the bill.”

While it doesn’t specify countries, Senator Andre Jaque named communist China as a main concern. “Obviously, Wisconsin is a great investment, but when we lose those key pillars of our economy to somebody, you know outside of domestic control, it’s a recipe for disaster.”

State law already places restrictions on foreign ownership of ag and forestry land, but the bill adds the language on foreign adversaries.