“Farm Security is National Security:” USDA Takes Action to Protect American Farmers

Yesterday, December 30, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced several actions steps they are taking to implement Trump’s National Farm Security Action Plan. USDA has opened a portal for public comment on the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA), seeks to improve regulation of USDA’s BioPreferred Program, and launch new research projects aimed at increasing the profitability of America’s farms and ranches and ensuring long-term productivity.

Why We Must Protect American Agriculture

The Trump Administration promulgated the National Farm Security Action Plan, which “seeks to protect our borders, enhances
the farm safety net and domestic agricultural production, and improves outcomes for American consumers.”

The plan begins with an explanation of the grave importance of protecting American agriculture: “Agriculture is foundational to our nation. Our Founders saw agriculture as the essential pursuit to the cultivation of republican ideals. Americans, after all, must eat. Today, threats to American agriculture not only expose us to risks of shortages, foreign dependencies, and higher prices but they also strike at one of the most essential pillars of the American republic.”

Reforming AFIDA

The number one priority identified in the National Farm Security Action Plan is to “secure and protect American farmland.” Currently, China owns farmland totaling over 265,000 acres in 11 states. USDA oversees foreign ownership of agriculture land through the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA). AFIDA requires foreign investors who acquire, transfer, or hold an interest in U.S. agricultural land to report such holdings and transactions to USDA.

Recognizing the importance of transparency regarding foreign control of American agricultural lands, USDA is seeking the public’s input on potential reforms that can improve AFIDA reporting and filing requirements. Individuals and organizations may submit comments via this portal.

Reforming the BioPreferred Program

USDA runs the BioPreferred Program which supports “domestic manufacturing, increases the purchase and use of U.S. biobased products to spur economic development, create new jobs and open new domestic markets for crops grown by American farmers and producers.”

A biobased product is a product other than food or feed that is manufactured from renewable agricultural materials, renewable chemicals, or forestry materials. Biobased products provide an alternative to conventional petroleum derived products and include products such as lubricants, detergents, inks, fertilizers, and bioplastics.

Effectively immediately, foreign adversary countries are now prohibited from the BioPreferred Program and USDA guaranteed lending programs. All current participates will be audited.

New Research and Development Priorities

In a second press release, USDA acknowledged the harm done to American farmers and ranchers during Biden’s presidency: “The American farm economy suffered under failed Biden-Harris Administration policies that drove up inflation, created a weak trade agenda that resulted in no new trade deals for American commodities, and propagated crippling overregulation. Further, misguided policies focused on DEI and environmental justice in agricultural research, extension, and education programs diverted resources away from solving actual programs that American farmers and ranchers are facing.”

To help rectify these damages, USDA announced five new research and development priorities:

1. Increasing the profitability of American farmers and ranchers
2. Expanding markets and creating new uses for U.S. agricultural products
3. Protecting American agriculture from invasive species
4. Promoting soil health to regenerate long-term productivity of land
5. Improving human health through precision nutrition and food quality

According to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins: “The priorities we are announcing today further reiterate President Trump’s commitment to put Farmers First and provides our agricultural researchers with a strategic roadmap to help keep our producers at the forefront of productivity.”