Efforts by U.S. States to Prevent Ownership of Agricultural Land by Citizens of Iran and Several Other Countries

Lawmakers in South Dakota, a Midwestern U.S. state, are working to prohibit ownership of agricultural land by citizens of certain countries, including Iran. This legislative proposal, which has been approved by the state’s House of Representatives, bans ownership of agricultural land by governments or citizens of Iran, Russia, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and China. The South Dakota Secretary of Agriculture and Natural Resources told RFD TV that there has been a law since 1979 stating that a foreign entity, country, or citizen cannot purchase more than 160 acres of agricultural land in South Dakota, and they are now working to close loopholes in this law. The old law was written in such a way that skilled lawyers could circumvent it, and in practice, there are no restrictions on land purchased by foreign nationals. Last May, a law was signed in Florida by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis that prohibits citizens from seven countries, including Iran and China, from purchasing what the state calls 'sensitive land.' This law, titled 'SB 264,' restricts property purchases by citizens of Russia, Iran, China, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela, and Syria. The restrictions in Florida include agricultural land and any land within 16 kilometers of a military base or critical infrastructure such as ports, airports, and wastewater treatment facilities. Statistics from the U.S. Department of Agriculture indicate that by the end of 2021, foreign individuals and entities owned over 40 million acres of agricultural land in the U.S. This figure increased by more than 2.4 million acres compared to the end of 2020, and the Department of Agriculture states that foreign land ownership has increased by an average of 2.2 million acres per year since 2015. Sources: RFD TV, Argus Leader, Reuters. A federal judge has ruled that the land ownership restrictions in Florida will be enforced for citizens of Iran and six other countries. Several Chinese citizens have filed complaints regarding the property and land purchase restrictions in Florida. Protests against the controversial proposal continue; Iranian citizens may also be prohibited from purchasing property in Texas.