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North Carolina representatives, including Rep. Jeff Zenger, filed the Farmland and Military Protection Act recently. The act aims to prohibit hostile foreign governments, like China and Russia, from buying agricultural land and property surrounding military installations. 

The bill would prohibit foreign governments that have been designated by the U.S. Department of State as adversarial from purchasing, acquiring, leasing or holding any interest in agricultural land or land situated within a 75-mile radius of a military installation. This includes China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia and Venezuela. It would also apply to a business in which one of these foreign adversarial governments has a controlling interest.

“As our state’s top two economic drivers, we must take a stand to protect our farmland and military bases from foreign threats. This legislation is vital to safeguarding our national security and defending our most valuable resource,” Zenger is quoted as saying in a release from his office.

The bill was filed by Rep. Jennifer Balkcom, with Zenger signing on as a primary sponsor along with Reps. Neal Jackson and John R. Bell IV, all Republicans.

“Having grown up on a family farm, I know how important it is to preserve North Carolina’s farmland,” Balkcom is quoted as saying in the release. “Our state’s agricultural land is one of our most important assets and it is common sense that we protect it from foreign enemies.”

In the 2023-24 legislation session, the House unanimously passed similar legislation, but it was not considered in the Senate.

“The N.C. Farmland and Military Protection Act is critical to protecting our state and national security,” Jackson is quoted as saying in the release. “Foreign adversaries, like China, should never be allowed to acquire North Carolina farmland.”

The bill has been referred to the House Homeland Security and Military and Veterans Affairs Committee for further review.