Foreign ownership of U.S. ag land grows

Jan 15, 2025
By Farms.com

1.6 million acres added by foreign investors in 2023

Foreign ownership of agricultural land in the United States grew by 1.6 million acres from 2022 to 2023, reaching a total of 45.58 million acres or 3.61% of privately held agricultural land.

Renewable energy projects were a major driver of this growth, as reported by the American Farm Bureau Federation (AFBF).

Daniel Munch of AFBF highlighted that Canadian investors hold the largest share at 33.5% (15.35 million acres), followed by investors from the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom.

Interestingly, Chinese ownership of agricultural land decreased by 11% to 277,336 acres, continuing a decline from its 2021 peak.

“Since 2010, foreign renewable energy investments in U.S. agricultural land have increased by at least 10.4 million acres — a 353% rise,” the AFBF noted. This includes land used for wind and solar energy, with 70% categorized as cropland.

Texas leads with 5.7 million acres of foreign-held land, primarily tied to the timber and forest products industry. Maine follows with 3.5 million acres, representing 21% of its agricultural land.

Other states like New Mexico, Arkansas, and Oregon also saw significant increases due to wind energy and timber investments.

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.