(The Center Square) – A bill that would significantly limit the amount of farmland foreign persons or entities may own in Wisconsin is moving on to an executive session in a Senate committee after a public hearing this week.

If Senate Bill 219 is signed into law, the amount of agricultural land a foreigner could own would be limited to 50 acres.

“Preserving Wisconsin’s agricultural traditions and rural way of life is of the utmost importance,” Rep. Clint Moses, R-Menomonie, said after the hearing concluded. “This bill protects our farmers and keeps our land in the hands of Wisconsinites.”

Sen. Rob Stafsholt, R-New Richmond, said the bill will safeguard Wisconsin’s future as an “agricultural powerhouse” and would also “[promote] America’s national security.”

Under current law, foreign persons can own, acquire, or hold no more than 640 acres of farmland or forestry in Wisconsin. 

According to a 2023 report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, more than 600,000 acres of Wisconsin farmland, or 2.6% of the state’s total farmland, is foreign-owned.

However, the statement by Moses and Safsholt argues the country is facing a staggering increase in foreign-owned farmland, stating that the amount of U.S. agricultural land that is foreign-owned increased by 15% in only a two-year span, taking the country’s total foreign-owned farmland to 45.9 million acres.

“Our state’s agricultural industry contributes $116.3 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy, and I fundamentally do not believe our food-producing farm fields should be owned by any foreign government or foreign company,” the statement said.

While the bill would limit foreigners from owning more than 50 acres of farmland, it states there is no limit for foreign-owned land used for mining exploration and operations, manufacturing, mercantile business, retail and fuel industry activities.

The bill would also eliminate the 640-acre limit on foreign-owned forestry land, only tightening the restrictions for agricultural land.