President Trump’s administration is launching a sweeping plan to protect America’s farmland from falling into foreign hands—especially China’s. On Tuesday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announced the National Farm Security Action Plan, an aggressive multi-agency initiative to protect America’s food supply, agricultural research, and critical infrastructure from adversarial nations.

“American agriculture is not just about feeding our families but about protecting our nation and standing up to foreign adversaries who are buying our farmland, stealing our research, and creating dangerous vulnerabilities in the very systems that sustain us,” Rollins said, framing the initiative as a matter of national security rather than just domestic policy.

What’s The Plan?

The plan, rolled out with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Pam Bondi, and trade adviser Peter Navarro, will:

• Ban Chinese nationals and entities from buying U.S. farmland.
• Increase monitoring and enforcement to prevent intellectual property theft in agricultural research.
• Strengthen protections against agroterrorism threats.
• Push reshoring and near-shoring of food and agriculture supply chains to reduce dependence on foreign nations.
• Coordinate with states to enforce restrictions on foreign farmland purchases near critical infrastructure and military bases.

Several states already restrict foreign ownership of farmland, but this initiative marks the first time the federal government is framing agriculture protection as a national security priority on this scale.

China: The Elephant In The Room

Secretary Rollins did not mince words about the threat posed by China, citing instances of Chinese operatives attempting to smuggle crop-destroying fungus into the United States—a biological attack that could have devastated American farms and food supplies. China has also purchased farmland suspiciously close to U.S. military installations, raising red flags among defense and intelligence officials.

China’s aggression in the agricultural sector isn’t happening in a vacuum. It comes alongside China’s expansionist actions in the Caribbean, espionage efforts in U.S. research labs, and intellectual property theft across industries. The Trump administration views these incursions into American farmland as part of a broader strategy by the Chinese Communist Party to gain leverage over America’s food and economic security.

Why It Matters

Modern American agriculture is a marvel of technology, producing more food with fewer farmers than ever before. But that efficiency creates vulnerabilities. A targeted biological attack, sabotage of key infrastructure, or foreign ownership of critical farmland could quickly disrupt food supplies and send shockwaves through the economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed how easily supply chains can be disrupted. A hostile actor attacking America’s food system could create far more devastating chaos, driving up prices and leaving millions hungry.

This is why the Trump administration’s National Farm Security Action Plan matters: It aims to protect the “amber waves of grain” and “fruited plains” that are not only symbolic of American prosperity but also essential to American survival.

State Cooperation Key

While the federal government is leading the charge, much of the enforcement will happen at the state level. States like Florida, Texas, and Iowa have already moved to limit foreign ownership of farmland, and more are expected to follow with encouragement and coordination from the Trump administration.

Bottom Line

The National Farm Security Action Plan recognizes that farmland is more than dirt and crops; it is strategic infrastructure. In an era of rising geopolitical tensions, ensuring that America controls its food production capabilities is critical to national security.

For too long, politicians treated farmland as just another commodity to be sold to the highest bidder. President Trump’s team is taking a different approach, placing America’s security and sovereignty above short-term financial gains for foreign buyers.