278K
Acres of U.S. Farmland Owned by Chinese Entities
350%
Increase in Chinese-Linked U.S. Farmland Since 2010
1
Chinese-Owned Parcel in All of Arizona — 322 Acres, Chandler
102
Bills Introduced in 2026 to Restrict Foreign Land Ownership
In July 2025, the Trump administration held a press conference with the Attorney General, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Secretary of Agriculture. They displayed a map showing all of Maricopa County — the entire Phoenix metro area — shaded in red, implying Chinese land ownership near the Yuma Proving Ground. It was alarming. It was also misleading. The actual federal data shows one Chinese-owned parcel in the entire state of Arizona: 322 acres in Chandler, more than 110 miles from the Proving Ground.
That doesn't mean the concern isn't real. It means it deserves honest, fact-based treatment — not a map that makes Maricopa County look like occupied territory. Because when you look at the actual national picture, there are legitimate reasons for both parties to pay attention — and legitimate risks in overreacting.
Chinese Ownership in Arizona
322 Acres
One parcel. Located in Chandler, AZ — north of Bear Creek Golf Complex, between Ocotillo Road and East Chandler Heights Road. It is a residential subdivision development, not agricultural land. It is 110+ miles from the Yuma Proving Ground.
Arizona Legislative Response
Vetoed.
Republican Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp (R-Surprise) sponsored SB 1109 to ban China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran from purchasing land in Arizona. Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) vetoed it, calling it "ineffective at counter-espionage" and lacking clear enforcement criteria. The debate continues in 2026.
Note: 26 states have enacted laws restricting foreign farmland ownership since 2023. Arizona's bill was broader than most, applying to all property — not just agricultural land — which complicated its enforcement and contributed to the veto.
Nationally, the picture is more significant. Chinese-linked entities have increased their U.S. farmland holdings by 350% since 2010 — from roughly 80,000 acres to 278,000 acres. That's still just 0.03% of total U.S. farmland, and less than 1% of all foreign-owned farmland (Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and the UK own far more). But the strategic nature of some purchases — near military bases, near water infrastructure, near critical logistics corridors — is what's driving the alarm in both parties.
"Farmland is not just dirt — it's production, supply chains, water, logistics, and proximity to assets America may need in a crisis."
— AMAC Newsline Analysis of the 2026 Farm Bill · June 2026
Cutting Through the Noise
What's a Real Concern. What's Being Overblown.
Legitimate Concerns
- A Chinese company tried to buy land next to a North Dakota military base in 2022 — the deal was blocked, but it exposed a gap in federal oversight
- In 2024, Biden ordered a Chinese crypto-mining company to sell land it had used next to Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, which houses nuclear missiles
- Chinese farmland ownership is up 350% since 2010 — the pace of increase, not the total, is the concern
- Current federal law has no blanket ban on Chinese farmland purchases — only an executive action requiring additional CFIUS review
- Some purchases have been structured through shell companies, making USDA tracking incomplete
What the Data Actually Shows
- Chinese entities own 0.03% of U.S. farmland — Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and the UK own significantly more
- The Trump administration's July 2025 map misrepresented Maricopa County — one parcel in Chandler does not mean Phoenix is encircled
- USDA data shows the largest foreign farmland owners are allied nations, not adversaries
- The renewable energy sector — solar farms, wind farms — drives most foreign land acquisition, not food production
- Many state restrictions have been challenged in court for targeting Chinese Americans broadly, not just CCP-linked entities
Federal · S.2258
Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act
Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO). Would ban Chinese corporations and CCP-linked individuals from owning U.S. agricultural land and homes. Introduced July 2025 following the National Farm Security Action Plan.
In Committee
Federal · 2026 Farm Bill
Farm, Food and National Security Act of 2026
House-passed version includes foreign adversary farmland restrictions: stronger reporting, USDA–national security coordination, and a ban on agricultural land purchases by foreign adversaries and state sponsors of terrorism.
Senate Pending
Federal · Executive Action · July 2025
National Farm Security Action Plan
Trump administration launched a plan to work with states to end direct or indirect purchase of U.S. farmland by foreign adversaries. Ordered CFIUS to further restrict Chinese investment near military sites. Administration said it aims to "claw back" adversary-held land.
In Effect
Arizona · SB 1109
Foreign Adversary Land Purchase Ban
Sponsored by Senate Majority Leader Janae Shamp (R-Surprise). Would have barred China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran from buying any property in Arizona. Exempted homes under 2 acres if 50+ miles from a military base — effectively excluding Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma, Flagstaff, and Sierra Vista. Vetoed by Gov. Hobbs June 2025.
Vetoed
Arizona · SB 1066 (2025)
Hostile Countries Property Restriction
Arizona's earlier attempt using the term "hostile countries" — not defined in the legislation. Noted by legal analysts as creating arbitrary enforcement risk. Part of a wave of 133 state-level bills considered nationwide in 2025.
Did Not Pass
Across the Aisle
Why Both Parties Have a Stake — And a Concern
Progressive & Democrat Concerns
- Broad bans risk targeting Chinese Americans based on ethnicity, not CCP affiliation — echoing discriminatory alien land laws of the early 1900s
- Food security and domestic supply chain resilience require investment in American farmers, not just bans on foreign buyers
- Shell company loopholes go unaddressed by property bans — enforcement requires CFIUS reform and transparency, not blunt restrictions
- Arizona's SB 1109 would have affected U.S. permanent residents who happen to be Chinese nationals
Conservative & Republican Concerns
- A 350% increase in Chinese-linked farmland since 2010 is a trend that demands a legislative response before the window closes
- Federal CFIUS review is not a ban — no permanent federal law currently prohibits Chinese farmland purchases
- Proximity to military bases, water infrastructure, and logistics corridors makes even small purchases strategically significant
- Gov. Hobbs' veto of SB 1109 left Arizona without any state-level restriction, even as 26 other states enacted them
APAC's Position
This Issue Deserves Honest Answers — Not a Misleading Map
My co-founder Dr. Miguel Andrés Olivas and I built APAC because Americans on both sides of the aisle deserve civic information that's accurate, complete, and honest about what the data says. The Chinese farmland issue is real enough to demand action — and it's being handled in ways that are sometimes more about political theater than actual security.
The answer isn't to ignore 278,000 acres and a 350% increase. It's also not to display a map that makes Phoenix look like it's been invaded. The answer is targeted, enforceable legislation — like the Farm Bill provisions moving through the Senate right now — that closes real loopholes, improves USDA tracking, and restricts purchases near sensitive military and infrastructure sites without painting an entire ethnic group as a security threat.
Arizona's next legislative session will revisit SB 1109 or something like it. When it does, Arizonans — Democrat and Republican — need to understand what's actually in the bill, who it actually affects, and whether it actually does what it claims. That's the work APAC does. And it's why your support matters.
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