Gov. Kristi Noem talks agriculture, China threat in Capitol Hill hearing

Governor touts South Dakota policies intended to limit Chinese intrusion in Washington

Gov. Kristi Noem appears before a US House committee in Washington D.C. (Youtube)

Gov. Kristi Noem’s championing of a bill that bans hostile foreign governments from making agricultural land purchases in South Dakota has the attention of Washington, D.C. policymakers.

Noem appeared before the Republican-led House Committee on Agriculture to contribute to a panel titled “The danger China poses to American agriculture.” The governor is no stranger to the U.S. House, having served four terms there before moving on to be governor.

Though 24 states currently have laws on their books preventing certain purchases of land by foreign entities, the federal government restricts only certain acquisitions of public lands. The issue has risen to the forefront in more recent years — since 2019, China has drastically increased its ownership of American land. However, the country still lags far behind other countries in its pursuit of American acreage. Canada and the Netherlands are easily the top two owners of U.S. soil.

Summoned by committee Chair Rep. Glenn Thompson, Noem touted her House Bill 1231, which will prevent people from six foreign countries deemed hostile to the United States from buying over 160 acres of land in the state.

NEWS: Sioux Falls City Hall under fire for Brockhouse Collection meeting notice