Banning foreign ownership of farmland has been a hot button topic in Missouri and is expected to be one again in the legislature’s upcoming session. Several lawmakers have pre-filed bills to address foreign ownership in the Show Me State.
Currently, no more than 1% of Missouri’s agricultural land can be owned by a foreign entity.
Sen. Rusty Black’s legislation would ban foreign businesses and governments from acquiring ag land in the state.
“It goes back to the language that was in state statute before it was changed in 2013 that no foreign entity, person, or business can own farmland within our state to farm,” he told Show Me Today.
The idea has been muddied up with different viewpoints of foreign ownership over the years, including attempts to prevent any ownership of land across Missouri rather than just agricultural land.
Black said he understands this takes the right to sell to whomever they want away from farmers.
“If you’re a farmland owner then that does cut out somebody that you can sell to, right? So, I do understand that. And that causes, even I have neighbors around me that we discuss it. I’m thinking, their right of way from choosing who they can sell to. But I think, overall, for our state, that this is the direction we need to go,” he said.
Under his bill, foreign entities that already own agricultural land can retain their ownership but would be barred from transferring it to other foreign entities.
For more information on Senate Bill 217, click here.
The Missouri Legislature’s next session begins on Jan. 8th in Jefferson City.
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