S. 1012 · Where this bill is now
In committee
Introduced in the Senate, Mar 12, 2025
What this bill does
In plain words · AI-written from the official summaryIncreases oversight of foreign farmland investments
This bill expands the review process for foreign investments in U.S. agricultural land, particularly from countries the government considers national security risks or nonmarket economies. It also requires the government to track long-term leases of farmland by foreign persons and to block federal farm assistance to certain foreign-owned agricultural properties. Additionally, the Department of Agriculture must publish an annual public report about foreign ownership and leasing of U.S. farmland.
How it affects you
If you own agricultural land, you may see changes in what foreign entities can invest in or lease land near you, and the government will have more transparency about who holds these properties. Farmers receiving federal assistance should know the rules about which foreign investments qualify for those subsidies. The general public gains access to annual reports on foreign farmland holdings, giving Americans visibility into this aspect of land ownership.
Read the official summary (Introduced in Senate, Mar 12, 2025)
Security and Oversight for International Landholdings Act of 2025 or the SOIL Act of 2025
This bill establishes and expands requirements for reviewing and disclosing transactions regarding foreign investments in agricultural land.
The Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) must review certain investments in agricultural land held by a person (i.e., individual or entity) that is a national of, or subject to the jurisdiction of, a country (1) designated as a nonmarket economy, or (2) identified as posing a risk to the national security of the United States. Under current law, CFIUS reviews the national security implications of certain foreign investments in U.S. businesses or real estate, including critical infrastructure or technologies.
CFIUS must also review certain real estate acquisitions or transfers of an interest, other than a security, for nonresidential properties that are located within 50 miles of a military installation.
The bill also prohibits federal assistance, including subsidies, from being provided to a person for an agricultural real estate holding which is owned by any of the foreign persons specified above.
The bill requires any foreign person who enters into a leasing agreement for agricultural land that is longer than five years to report the lease to the Department of Agriculture (USDA). Current requirements only apply to agriculture land acquired or transferred.
Further, USDA must prepare and make publicly available an annual report describing agricultural land holdings by foreign persons, including specific information related to foreign persons from China and Russia.
Written by AI (Claude) using only the official summary by the Congressional Research Service, the Library of Congress’s nonpartisan research staff. It can miss nuance, so check the official summary and the bill text for details.
1st SessionS. 1012
A BILL
SOIL Act of 2025
Sponsor: Sen. James Lankford (R-OK) · Introduced Mar 12, 2025 · Agriculture and Food · 1 version of the text
Sources: Congress.gov actions and votes · bill text from GovInfo · latest official action Mar 12, 2025: “Read twice and referred to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry.”
Sections
Sections · 6
- Sec. 1Short titleNo change
- Sec. 2Review by Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States of certain agricultural real estate transactionsNo change
- Sec. 3Review by Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States of real estate transactions near military installationsNo change
- Sec. 4Prohibition on use of funds for certain agricultural real estate holdingsNo change
- Sec. 5Disclosure requirements for foreign agricultural real estate holdingsNo change
- Sec. 6Reports of holdings of agricultural land in the United States by foreign personsNo change