JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMOX) - A Missouri lawmaker from south St. Louis County wants to put an end to foreign countries buying up Missouri farmland. Democratic State Sen. Doug Beck of Affton says counties like China and Brazil are gobbling up farmland across the U.S.
"It's very frustrating for me that we're selling off one of the most precious things we have, which is our agriculture land, to a foreign entity and I think that affects our food security and national security," Beck says.
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Beck says the amount of Missouri farmland owned by foreign interests is unknown, because county assessors are not keeping track.
He says the amount of agriculture land across the U.S. that is owned by foreign interests is equal to the size of Ohio. He also says 49% of hog production in Missouri is currently under foreign control.
"There has been a push by the Chinese to buy farmland, to buy agriculture land," Beck says. "So I think that is a nationally security issue when you have somebody else controlling your food supply."
His bill, House Bill 1492, which is expected to pass out of committee soon, would prohibit any future sale of farmland to foreign interests.
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