Rollins Advances National Farm Safety Plan

USDA Adds Tools to Protect Farmland and Food Programs

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins is reinforcing the USDA’s commitment to national farm safety through a series of new initiatives under the National Farm Security Action Plan. These steps focus on increasing transparency, monitoring foreign investment, and ensuring benefits reach only eligible recipients.

A newly launched Foreign Farm Land Purchases map provides visibility into land ownership by country, searchable by U.S. county. This tool helps track international interests in U.S. agriculture and will be refined in the coming months for greater accuracy.

Rollins also introduced a web portal to report foreign influence in agriculture-related purchases and business activities. This portal welcomes both anonymous and identified submissions, enhancing USDA's ability to detect and address potential threats.

Further, Secretary Rollins signed an MOU with the Department of the Treasury, formally placing the USDA in CFIUS (Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S.) discussions related to farmland, biotech, and ag supply chains. This move gives agriculture an influential voice in foreign investment decisions.

In response to ongoing concerns over illegal access to benefits, USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service has been instructed to verify that illegal aliens do not receive SNAP benefits. All state agencies must begin data-sharing with USDA by July 23, 2025, to help detect fraud and protect taxpayer funds.

“Gone are the days of foreign adversaries taking advantage of our farmland, farmers, and programs paid for by American taxpayers,” said Secretary Rollins.

These initiatives mark another milestone in securing American agriculture from internal misuse and foreign threats, ensuring the continued strength and integrity of the nation’s food systems.