STATEHOUSE (March 27, 2024) – Gov. Eric Holcomb recently signed into law a bipartisan bill supported by State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) that bans foreign adversaries from buying up critical Hoosier farmland.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, about 438,000 acres of Indiana farmland are owned by foreign entities, representing 2.4 percent of Hoosier agricultural land. With concerns about foreign land ownership growing across the country, Smaltz said he supported the bill to ensure Indiana protects not only its food supply chain but also national security.
"Countries like China, North Korea and Russia should not have the ability to purchase Indiana farmland," Smaltz said. "I supported this legislation to make sure we protect our critical food sources moving forward. We also took action to help guard our national security by protecting Indiana's military bases after reports of foreign adversaries buying land next to these sites in other states."
Under the new law, foreign adversaries will not be able to own, purchase or lease Hoosier farmland, and mineral, water or riparian rights. The U.S. Department of Commerce maintains a list of six adversarial countries including Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Cuba and Venezuela.
According to Smaltz, this law will also protect military installations throughout the state by prohibiting foreign adversaries from purchasing land within a 10-mile radius of such a facility.
To learn more about House Enrolled Act 1183 and other new laws, visit in.gov/gov/newsroom/2024-bill-watch.
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State Rep. Ben Smaltz (R-Auburn) represents House District 52,
which includes all of DeKalb County, and portions of Noble and Steuben counties.
Click here to download a high-resolution photo.
