H.R. 7131House118th Congress (2023-2025)In Committee

AFIDA Improvements Act of 2024

AI-Generated Summary

Updated January 20, 2026 at 2:20 PM UTC

The AFIDA Improvements Act of 2024 updates the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act to increase transparency of foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land. It adds a new reporting rule for any foreign person holding at least 1 % of an interest, strengthens enforcement, and requires coordination with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States. The law also mandates updates to the USDA’s disclosure handbook and a review of electronic reporting processes.

Key Provisions

Foreign persons who own 1% or more of an interest in U.S. agricultural land must file a report under AFIDA, even if their ownership is indirect through entities.
The Farm Production and Conservation Business Center must validate reported data, ensure compliance, and help identify violations for possible civil penalties.
The Secretary of Agriculture must sign a memorandum of understanding with CFIUS to share all foreign‑ownership reports and related information.
The USDA must update its “Foreign Investment Disclosure” handbook within one year and every ten years thereafter, incorporating GAO recommendations.
If an electronic submission system is not in place within a year, the FPAC‑BC must analyze steps to create one, set implementation milestones, and the Secretary must report the plan to the agriculture committees.

Legislative Activity

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1 earlier action

HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

January 30, 2024

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

January 30, 2024

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Agriculture.

Agriculture Committee

January 30, 2024

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about H.R. 7131 on the floor

1 Republican

Rep. Virginia FoxxR-NC-5 · Feb 28, 2024

Madam Speaker, at this very moment, America's dedicated farmers and the Nation's entire agricultural community are facing a serious threat. That threat is the Communist Chinese Party's continued…

Madam Speaker, at this very moment, America's dedicated farmers and the Nation's entire agricultural community are facing a serious threat.

That threat is the Communist Chinese Party's continued purchasing of American farmland. This is a threat that I take very seriously and one that I remain committed to fixing.

Here is the truth: The Chinese Communist Party has absolutely no interest in supporting our Nation's food supply.

It cares only about improving its own bottom line while kneecapping a community that has always put food on the tables of families in every ZIP Code in America.

Think about the threat that is being posed to our national security as more American farmland is acquired by the Chinese Communist Party.

My record is crystal clear on standing with farmers, and I have recently taken action to confront and expose the Chinese Communist Party's covert agenda.

I have cosponsored H.R. 7131, the AFIDA Improvements Act of 2024, legislation that makes serious reforms related to how the United States Department of Agriculture shares data on foreign investments in agricultural land.

What is more, I have cosponsored H.R. 809, the Prohibition of Agricultural Land for the People's Republic of China Act.

This legislation requires the President to take necessary actions to prohibit the purchase of public or private agricultural real estate located in the United States by nonresident aliens, foreign businesses, or any agent, trustee, or fiduciary associated with the Government of the People's Republic of China.

Further, under this legislation, individuals or businesses with direct ties to the Government of the People's Republic of China will be prohibited from certain programs administered by the Secretary of Agriculture.

Madam Speaker, the simple truth is that our Nation's food supply and supply chain are better off when American farmers are put first.

The interests of the Chinese Government should never be put first. This threat is one that should not be ignored.

I have long held that North Carolina's agricultural industry is the best that our Nation has to offer. It has always been and will always be a force to be reckoned with.

Last Congress, I was proud to be a recipient of the Friend of the Farm Bureau award in recognition of my voting record in support of farmers across North Carolina and the Nation.

These hardworking men, women, and families work tirelessly every day to support our Nation. I will always stand with them and push back against every attempt to undermine their livelihoods.

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued January 30, 2024

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

H. R. 7131

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

January 30, 2024

Mr. Bacon (for himself, Mr. Alford, Mrs. Hinson, Mr. Bost, Mr. Newhouse, Mr. Carbajal, Mr. Cuellar, Mr. Panetta, Mr. Finstad, and Ms. Houlahan) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Agriculture

A BILL

To amend the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 to establish an additional reporting requirement, and for other purposes.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the AFIDA Improvements Act of 2024.

Reporting; enforcement

(a)

Reporting requirement

Section 2 of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501) is amended by adding at the end the following:

(g)

Minimum ownership

In the case of agricultural land in which more than 1 foreign person acquires or transfers any interest, other than a security interest, the reporting requirements under this section shall apply to each foreign person who holds at least a 1 percent interest in that land—

(1)

directly through the first tier of ownership; or

(2)

in the aggregate through an interest in other entities at various tiers.

(b)

Enforcement

Section 4 of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3503) is amended—

(1)

by striking the section designation and all that follows through The Secretary and inserting the following:

Investigative actions

(a)

In general

The Secretary

; and

(2)

by adding at the end the following:

(b)

Actions by FPAC–BC

As part of the actions taken under subsection (a), the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center shall—

(1)

take such actions as are necessary to validate the data collected under section 2, including revising and validating information throughout the data collection process;

(2)

take such actions as are necessary to ensure compliance with section 2(g); and

(3)

in coordination with the Farm Service Agency, to the maximum extent practicable, identify persons that have carried out an activity subject to a civil penalty described in paragraph (1) or (2) of section 3(a).

Agricultural foreign investment disclosure improvements

(a)

Definitions

In this section:

(1)

AFIDA

The term AFIDA means the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (7 U.S.C. 3501 et seq.).

(2)

FPAC–BC

The term FPAC–BC means the Farm Production and Conservation Business Center.

(3)

Secretary

The term Secretary means the Secretary of Agriculture.

(b)

MOU with CFIUS

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall enter into 1 or more memoranda of understanding with the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States under which the Secretary shall provide the Committee with all relevant information relating to reports on foreign ownership of United States agricultural land submitted to the Secretary under section 2 of AFIDA (7 U.S.C. 3501), including information on—

(1)

each report submitted to the Secretary; and

(2)

with respect to each such report, the identity of the person submitting the report and the date of submission.

(c)

AFIDA handbook updates

(1)

First update

Not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall update the most recent version of the Farm Service Agency handbook entitled Foreign Investment Disclosure as determined necessary by the Secretary for the effective implementation of AFIDA, which update shall incorporate recommendations made by the report of the Government Accountability Office entitled Foreign Investments in U.S. Agricultural Land: Enhancing Efforts to Collect, Track, and Share Key Information Could Better Identify National Security Risks and dated January 18, 2024.

(2)

Subsequent updates

After updating the handbook described in paragraph (1) under that paragraph, the Secretary shall carry out an update of that handbook every 10 years thereafter, including by incorporating any recommendations of the Government Accountability Office.

(d)

Analysis of streamlined process for electronic submission and retention of reports under AFIDA

(1)

Definition of covered process

In this subsection, the term covered process means the streamlined process for electronic submission and retention of disclosures made under AFIDA required under section 773 of division A of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (7 U.S.C. 3501 note; 136 Stat. 4509).

(2)

Analysis

Unless the covered process is established by not later than 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the FPAC–BC, in coordination with the Farm Service Agency, shall, by that date—

(A)

carry out an analysis of the specific steps required to establish that process and the elements of that process; and

(B)

develop a timeline for specific implementation benchmarks to be met.

(3)

Report

The Secretary shall submit to the Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry of the Senate and the Committee on Agriculture of the House of Representatives a report describing the analysis and implementation timeline under paragraph (2), if applicable.