News

USDA proposing updates to foreign ag land reporting form

USDA’s Farm Service Agency is updating the form it uses for foreign ag land reporting so the agency can capture more information for its annual reports.

When a non-U.S. citizen or company purchases ag land in the United States, they are required report the purchase to USDA by filling out an Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act Report form.

The agency says they want the form to be more detailed for more information on long-term lessees, data to assess the impacts foreign investment has on ag producers and a closer look at specific locations.

Micah Brown with the National Ag Law Center says updates are needed to stay current with discussions on foreign ag land ownership.

“It seems like most of the information the USDA has requested since 1978 has stayed the same.”

He says this might also be USDA’s first step in establishing a database for foreign ag land ownership, responding to amendments recently made to the AFIDA law by Congress.

The FSA is asking for public feedback on the proposed changes to the form by Friday, February 16.

USDA also released its 2022 AFIDA report. Read more about it.