Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025
Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025 - Summary **What the bill does:** This bill would require the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS)—a government body that reviews foreign investments for national security concerns—to evaluate foreign purchases of American agricultural land. Currently, CFIUS reviews foreign investments in businesses and technology, but this bill would expand their authority to assess whether foreign ownership of farmland poses a national security risk. When the Department of Agriculture (USDA) notifies CFIUS about a foreign agricultural land purchase, CFIUS would decide whether to conduct a formal national security review. **Who it affects:** The bill primarily affects foreign investors interested in purchasing U.S. farmland and agricultural companies, as well as American farmers and landowners.
It could make it harder or take longer for foreign entities to buy agricultural property in the United States. The bill also affects CFIUS and USDA, which would coordinate on these transactions. **Current status:** The bill is currently in committee (S 2268), meaning it has been introduced but has not yet been debated or voted on by the full Senate. It was sponsored by Senator Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, a major agricultural state.
CRS Official Summary
Agricultural Risk Review Act of 2025This bill makes changes to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), including by requiring CFIUS to determine whether a national security review is necessary for reportable agricultural land transactions that are referred by the Department of Agriculture (USDA). (CFIUS oversees the national security risks of certain foreign investment in the United States. CFIUS has the authority to review covered transactions, which include mergers, acquisitions, and takeovers that could result in foreign control of a U.S. business; certain investments in businesses involved in critical technologies, critical infrastructure, or sensitive personal data; and certain real estate transactions.)Specifically, the bill directs CFIUS to, after receiving notification from USDA, determine (1) whether a reportable agricultural land transaction is a covered transaction, and (2) whether CFIUS should initiate a national security review or take another action with respect to the transaction. Reportable agricultural land transaction means a transaction (1) that USDA has reason to believe is a covered transaction, based on information from or in cooperation with the intelligence community; (2) that involves the acquisition of an interest in agricultural land by a foreign person of China, North Korea, Russia, or Iran; and (3) with respect to which a foreign person is required to submit a report to USDA regarding their agricultural land transactions.The bill also expands CFIUS to include the Secretary of Agriculture for covered transactions that involve agricultural land, agricultural biotechnology, or the agriculture industry (e.g., agricultural transportation, storage, and processing).
Latest Action
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.