In 2016, a Chinese national was caught digging proprietary seed corn out of an Iowa field to steal the genetics behind some of America’s most valuable crops. Nearly a decade later, the threat has only grown.
Zoom in: In just the last two years, federal agents have charged Chinese nationals in two separate agroterrorism cases — including one involving the smuggling of a crop-killing fungus that the FBI called a “potential agroterrorism weapon.”
🏞️ Our land is a target, too. In 2024, a watchdog warned that even with federal oversight, the U.S. still lacks a comprehensive system to track foreign adversaries purchasing land near military bases or other sensitive sites.
I spent more than two decades tracking these threats in the Air Force, and in Congress, I’ve led the toughest legislation to counter the CCP’s influence at home and abroad. Now we’re going further — leading the Protecting U.S. Farmland and Sensitive Sites From Foreign Adversaries Act to shut the door on foreign adversaries buying up farmland and property near our military bases, critical infrastructure, and other sensitive locations.
Why it matters: Iowa is a global leader in agricultural innovation and the nation’s leader in agricultural production. Every breakthrough stolen and every strategic parcel of land acquired by a foreign adversary threatens the competitive advantage Iowa farmers, researchers, and businesses have spent generations building. Protecting Iowa farmland isn’t just about agriculture — it’s about safeguarding America’s food security, economic strength, and national security.
Bottom Line: The same fields that feed the world should never become a foothold for our adversaries. I’ve spent my career defending our country from foreign threats, and I’ll keep fighting to keep Iowa’s farmland, research, and food supply out of the CCP’s reach.