Understanding the Basics of Foreign Agricultural Land Ownership Laws

On Friday, August 22, 2025, from 12 noon–1:00 pm ET, the Penn State Center for Agricultural and Shale Law, alongside the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture’s (PDA) Agricultural Business Development Center (ABDC), presented this webinar program in the Understanding Agricultural Law Educational Series, a course designed to develop subject matter literacy and competence on fundamental issues of agricultural law for attorneys and business advisors who work with or represent agricultural or rural clients but may not necessarily specialize in agricultural law: “Understanding the Basics of Foreign Agricultural Land Ownership Laws” Foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States has sparked recent discussions and legislative attention due to its potential impacts on national security, family farms, and rural communities. This webinar discusses the current legal framework for agricultural land foreign ownership, including the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA), the role of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) in assessing national security risks, and recent legislative efforts at both the federal and state levels to regulate or restrict such ownership. We also review the legal challenges against state-level restrictions and analyze the most recent data on foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. 00:15 - Introduction with Audry Thompson 07:39 - Understanding the Basics of Foreign Agricultural Land Ownership Laws with Chloe Marie 07:47 - Historical Context 10:48 - Current Data and Trends 16:22 - Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) 17:20 - Definitions 20:05 - Reporting Requirements 22:15 - Penalties for Noncompliance 23:47 -Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS) 33:28 - USDA National Farm Security Action Plan 35:20 - Legislation 39:06 - Policy Concerns 40:45 - State Laws 54:45 - Resources and References 55:35 - Conclusion