A bill that would ban some foreign countries from buying, leasing or renting farmland and other critical infrastructure in Montana is advancing through the state Senate.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as of 2021, non-U.S. citizens or foreign entities own over 900,000 acres of farmland in Montana, and over 40 million acres in the U.S. as a whole.
Senate President Pro-Tempore Kenneth Bogner, from Miles City, sponsored the bill. He says it’s important for Montana to do its part in protecting the country.
“We need to be proactive in preventing our adversaries from gaining advantages in influence, in espionage and asymmetrical warfare,” Bognar said.
The ban applies to the U.S. Commerce Department’s named foreign adversaries including; China, North Korea, Russia, Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela, or any companies headquartered in those countries. The ban also includes property that has a direct line of sight to any military installation.
Fourteen other states have enacted similar bans.
The bill has bipartisan support in Montana’s Legislature, and similar legislation has also been brought at the federal level. The federal bill is co-sponsored by Montana U.S. Sen. Jon Tester and also has support from Sen. Steve Daines.
