By Clint Thompson
Farm security is national security, and the Trump administration is ensuring both are protected with the National Farm Security Action Plan.
The plan highlights agriculture as a focus of the nation’s national security, addressing threats from foreign adversaries, including China.
“We feed the world. We lead the world. And we’ll never let foreign adversaries control our land, our labs or our livelihoods,” said Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins.
The National Farm Security Action Plan takes aggressive action across multiple critical areas, including the protection of U.S. farmland from foreign ownership; refocusing domestic investment into manufacturing sectors; defending agricultural research; and putting America first in every U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) program.
What the Leaders Are Saying
As expected, the announced plan drew rave reviews from specialty crop leaders, including Blake Thaxton, executive director of the Alabama Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association.
“We want to make sure that our agricultural lands are held primarily in an American company’s and corporation’s hands. We’ve got to, more or less, have some kind of idea of who is owning this property, especially productive farmland, making sure that we are not giving up too much,” Thaxton said. “As we know, food security is national security. If someone is controlling our productive agricultural lands, other than those with our own interests, they could cause trouble in the future.”
Chris Butts, executive director of the Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, also noted:
“I think protecting our farmland, in general, needs to remain a priority for us. As we see everything north of Macon continue to grow, eventually I think we’re going to see more people that want to come to discover South Georgia and all that it offers. Protecting that farmland overall is a good idea,” Butts said.
Other Notable Quotes
“Foreign adversaries like China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea are trying to get their foot in the door by buying up our farmland,” said Senator Tommy Tuberville. “In my state of Alabama, we have the fourth-highest amount of foreign-owned land in the U.S. with 2.2 million acres. Not only is this dangerous for our farmers, but it’s disastrous for our national security. Thankfully, the Trump administration is taking action to secure our farmland and keep us safe from bad foreign actors.”
“Agriculture is national security, period. A nation that cannot feed itself, cannot defend itself, and I’m excited to work together with Sec. Rollins and Sec. Hegseth to champion policies that will strengthen US farm security and protect our nation’s farmers, farmland, and food supply,” said Georgia Agriculture Commissioner Tyler J Harper.