Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins has taken center stage in national headlines over the past week with a series of decisive initiatives aimed at strengthening the security of American agriculture. On July tenth, Secretary Rollins announced further steps under the new National Farm Security Action Plan, a sweeping strategy targeting foreign ownership of U.S. farmland and emphasizing the link between food and national defense. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a new searchable web portal now reveals which countries own farmland in the U.S., and a reporting system invites tips about potential violations related to foreign land purchases. Rollins also signed a memorandum with the Department of the Treasury, ensuring that the Department of Agriculture will have a direct voice in decisions under the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States for any deals involving agricultural assets.
Secretary Rollins stressed that preventing foreign adversaries, particularly Chinese nationals and others from nations of concern, from buying U.S. farmland is the top priority. She explained that this is not just about food production but national security, as foreign-owned farm properties near critical military installations could pose both economic and defense risks. The Defense Department has underscored its support of these efforts, with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth noting the importance of knowing who owns land around military bases to safeguard against potential threats.
In another major move, Rollins ordered the immediate shutdown of southern border ports to livestock trade following the latest detection of New World Screwworm in Mexico. U.S. officials had recently attempted a phased reopening after previous closures but reversed course due to new outbreaks, citing the need to protect American livestock and the integrity of the food supply.
On the domestic workforce front, Secretary Rollins has firmly ruled out any amnesty for undocumented migrant farm workers, reiterating that mass deportations would proceed even as the administration seeks to avoid compromising the food supply. She pointed to automation and possible reforms to current labor programs as avenues to address any potential labor shortages, and suggested that recipients of public assistance could help fill agricultural jobs. This stance highlights a growing tension as farm owners and meat processors raise concerns over worker availability given tighter immigration enforcement.
The National Farm Security Action Plan also calls for prioritizing American producers in federal loan programs and protecting agricultural intellectual property. Rollins stated that these measures are necessary to ensure that American agriculture continues to feed, fuel, and defend the nation without dependence on foreign interests.
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