(FiveNation.com)- President Joe Biden may not be taking strong action against China, but Republicans are still doing their best. This week, Republican lawmakers set out plans to stop China from purchasing more farmland in the United States.
It follows Rep. Jeff Fortenberry of Nebraska outlining his concerns about China expanding control over America’s food supply last month.
Fortenberry proposed that an amendment be made to the Agriculture Appropriations Bill that would stop Chinese companies, or other companies backed by China, from purchasing American farmland. He noted that the United States government is already banned from purchasing farmland in the United States, and asked why the ban isn’t reciprocated.
Fortenberry shared a video of himself asking a question during an Appropriations Committee hearing, where he is a Ranking Member of Agriculture. During a speech about the proposed amendment, he asked why China should be allowed to own farmland in the United States.
As the pandemic showed, our nation had become dependent on medicines and personal protective equipment from #China. Here’s another issue: China’s ownership of farmland. See my Fort Report: https://t.co/9AhJRhojZU
— Jeff Fortenberry (@JeffFortenberry) July 19, 2021
He discussed how China currently owns more than 200,000 acres of American farmlands worth $2 billion, and without new legislation, those numbers are expected to grow.
Rep. Fortenberry added that it wasn’t just a matter of fairness, but also a national security issue.
What will the United States do if China owns a substantial amount of American farmland, and then chooses not to use that farmland to produce food? It dramatically alters America’s ability to be self-sufficient and could provide China with the upper hand in a potential future conflict.
And it seems like we are getting closer to a major conflict with China every day…
