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FARM BUREAU: FOREIGN OWNERSHIP OF U.S. AGRICULTURAL LAND STILL GROWING
Oct. 27, 2026
by Dr. Faith Parum, Economist, American Farm Bureau Federation
Key Takeaways
• The share of foreign-owned U.S. land continues to increase. In 2024, foreign entities held approximately 47.24 million acres of U.S. agricultural land, up 91% since 2010, accounting for 3.6% of agricultural land in the United States.
• Entities from Canada and Europe hold the most U.S. land. Canadian investors hold around 16.1 million acres while European countries combined hold more than 18 million acres of U.S. farmland.
• Chinese investment in U.S. farmland has been a large topic of conversation. In 2024, Chinese investors held approximately 245,000 acres. This is less than 1% of foreign-owned agricultural land.
• It is important to note that most of this land is not used in farming. In fact, nearly half is forestland and large amounts are used for renewable energy projects such as solar and wind.
Foreign ownership of U.S. land is a widely debated issue, driven by concerns about national security, agricultural productivity and long-term implications for U.S. agriculture. USDA released updated foreign ownership data for 2024, detailing what foreign investments exist on farmland, where those investments are concentrated and which countries account for the largest holdings.
The latest data show foreign investors holding or leasing around 47.2 million acres of U.S. agricultural land in 2024, representing 3.6% of privately held agricultural land. While this continues a long-term upward trend, the pace has slowed. Most foreign-held agricultural land is forestland or tied to renewable energy projects.
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