USDA Tackles Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land, Food Safety, and Environmental Concerns

In recent days, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been involved in several significant activities and decisions, although the most current and specific actions of the Secretary of Agriculture may not be widely reported in the last few days due to the nature of the available sources.

One of the key areas of focus for the USDA and the Secretary of Agriculture involves foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. Congress has been actively addressing this issue through various legislative efforts and appropriations acts. For instance, the FY2023 Consolidated Appropriations Act required the USDA to report on the impact of foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land on family farms, rural communities, and the domestic food supply. The USDA was also directed to establish a streamlined process for electronic submission and retention of disclosures, including an internet database with disaggregated data from each disclosure submitted under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA)[1].

Additionally, the FY2022 Consolidated Appropriations Act included directives for the USDA to report on trends related to land owned or partially owned by the governments of China, Russia, Iran, or North Korea, and the potential impacts on the American agricultural sector, food security, and rural economies. These reports highlight the ongoing scrutiny and regulatory efforts surrounding foreign investment in U.S. agriculture[1].

The USDA is also preparing for potential changes in its oversight roles, as proposed legislative changes aim to enhance U.S. government oversight and expand the membership of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) to include the USDA and other agencies. This expansion is part of broader efforts to update USDA’s disclosure requirements, increase penalties for failure to disclose, and require additional reporting and analysis[1].

In other areas, the USDA continues to address various agricultural and food security issues. For example, the department has been involved in initiatives to ensure safe food practices, such as protocols for the safe movement of animals and mitigation of threats like the New World Screwworm. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) has also been working on ensuring food safety during events like the Super Bowl[2].

Furthermore, the USDA has been engaged in legal and regulatory challenges, such as the lawsuit filed by Farm Sanctuary against the USDA's final rule on an optional new inspection system for hog slaughter establishments. This lawsuit alleges that the USDA violated the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by not considering the environmental impacts of the new inspection system, including potential increases in greenhouse gas emissions[3].

While the most recent specific actions of the Secretary of Agriculture may not be detailed in the available sources, these ongoing initiatives and regulatory efforts underscore the department's active role in managing U.S. agricultural policies, ensuring food security, and addressing environmental and foreign investment concerns.