Foreign adversaries could be banned from owning or leasing agricultural lands in Louisiana under legislation approved in a House committee this week.
House Bill 125, sponsored by Rep. Michael Echols, R-Monroe, is pending a floor vote in the House after members of the Agriculture, Forestry, Aquaculture, and Rural Development Committee unanimously approved the measure on Wednesday. Similar legislation is pending in the Senate.
"This bill is really centered around foreign adversaries who are coming to Louisiana, acquiring agricultural lands, acquiring lands near our military bases, and this is imposing more a national security threat than we have seen in many decades before," Echols told the committee. "Because of these agricultural acquisitions, it’s posing a threat now to national security, our food security, and even some of our critical infrastructure because agricultural land is considered critical infrastructure."
Echols said he’s pursuing the legislation to ensure additional protections for Louisiana citizens and recourse for taking action to prevent threats. He noted the bill is among many in other states and Congress to do the same.
HB 125 ties the definition of a foreign adversary to a federal list that currently includes China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela, though it exempts legal permanent residents. It would require any foreign business that buys, sells, leases, or transfers agricultural land after July 30 to report the transaction to the Secretary of State and Attorney General.
Agriculture Commissioner Mike Strain noted that about 3% of agricultural lands nationwide are owned by foreign entities, the majority from Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, the United Kingdom and Germany.
Source: thecentersquare.com
Photo Credit: istock-AlenaMozhjer
Categories: Missouri, Government & Policy