Op-Ed by Assemblyman Joseph DeStefano
I strongly support the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s decision to block Chinese nationals and other foreign adversaries from purchasing farmland in our country. This is a matter of national security, plain and simple.
Agricultural land is more than soil and crops—it’s strategic real estate. For too long, foreign nations have quietly purchased American farmland, including parcels adjacent to military bases and critical infrastructure. As of December 31, 2023, Chinese investors held approximately 277,000 acres of U.S. agricultural land—around 1% of all farmland—some of it in close proximity to at least 19 military installations, raising serious espionage concerns.
That ends now. The Trump administration’s National Farm Security Action Plan, unveiled on July 8, is a long‑overdue step toward safeguarding our food supply, research institutions, and rural communities. The plan bans future purchases by individuals linked to China and other adversarial nations, orders the cancellation of risky contracts, and even contemplates clawing back land already acquired. This will give our farmers a chance to purchase and cultivate land without having to pay artificially inflated prices.
USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has emphasized that “American agriculture isn’t just about food; it’s about sovereignty,” adding that these lands are “weapons that can be turned against us” if used for surveillance, intellectual property theft, or supply‑chain sabotage.
I applaud Secretary Rollins’ leadership and support from Attorney General Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for recognizing the threat and taking decisive action.
New York must follow suit. While we have no widespread reports of Chinese farmland holdings here, dozens of states—including New York—already have or are crafting legislation to prevent hostile‑nation entities from acquiring property near sensitive sites.
As Assemblyman on Long Island, I will continue working with my colleagues in Albany to enact laws blocking foreign adversaries—especially China, Iran, North Korea, and Russia—from acquiring farmland or real estate near military bases, energy grids, water infrastructure, or research facilities. We must ensure transparency and enforce stricter reporting under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act. New York must adopt modern oversight mechanisms, including tighter public filings, real‑time tracking, and increased penalties for falsified disclosures, just as the USDA’s new plan recommends.
Our state must act now to protect our land, our values, and our future. Whether it’s preserving family farms, defending local food systems, or securing nearby strategic installations, farm security truly is national security. I will fight alongside New York farmers, public officials, and federal partners to keep our farmland in American hands—and keep adversaries from threatening what we hold dear.