Lawmakers moving to collect data on foreign ownership of ag land in S.D.

1979 law bans foreign ownership of more than 160 acres, but some suspect law is being flouted

PIERRE – South Dakota lawmakers will order the state to begin collecting data on foreign interests that own South Dakota agriculture land under a measure sent to the Senate Thursday.

Rep. Will Mortenson is sponsoring legislation that would require limited liability companies, corporations, limited partnerships and other legal entities to disclose if they have foreign ownership interests when they file their yearly reports with the South Dakota Secretary of State. The measure would only apply to entities that own agriculture land.

A 1979 law bans foreign interests from owning anything more than 160 acres of ag land in the state. Mortenson, the GOP majority leader, said he has been wondering if the law is being enforced. He works in a Fort Pierre law firm that specializes in agriculture land sales. Collecting the data is the first step to determining the scope of the issue.

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