Indiana lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are pushing to prohibit China from purchasing or leasing farmland, WTHR reported Monday.
House Bill 1183 seeks to ban any “foreign adversary” or “prohibited person” from owning or leasing agricultural land in Indiana. Foreign adversaries are defined as citizens or entities from Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, Venezuela, and Cuba.
If passed, the legislation would also prevent the owning or leasing of land near military bases, armories, and maintenance facilities. Additionally, land purchasers would need to submit an affidavit confirming that they are not connected to the prohibited countries.
The legislation carves out exceptions for students from foreign adversarial countries who attend an Indiana university and are seeking to rent an apartment.
State Rep. Kendell Culp (R), the bill’s author, stated, “Indiana is one of the top producing agricultural states in the country, and we need to…
