Lawmakers Call for Improvements to Foreign Land Ownership Disclosure Process

A group of more than a dozen U.S. senators is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to overhaul its foreign land ownership disclosure process. The lawmakers highlight the need to improve the accuracy and efficiency of USDA’s Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act reporting process. The senators point out that the current system, which relies on handwritten submissions and manual data entry, is prone to errors. These mistakes can lead to serious problems, such as misidentifying companies as being linked to sanctioned nations.

In a letter sent to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, the senators detail the challenges that arise from the current foreign land ownership disclosure process. The lawmakers stress that accurate data is crucial and are pushing for answers on how the USDA plans to correct errors and move towards a more reliable, digital process. The senators ask several pointed questions in the letter: How is the USDA identifying and correcting errors in the current database? How often is the Farm Service Agency reviewing data for accuracy? What mechanisms are available for stakeholders to report inaccuracies?

“We believe it is essential for the USDA to ensure that the information published on its website is accurate and reliable. Inaccurate information can have significant implications for various stakeholders and erodes public trust in the integrity of the reporting process,” the lawmakers wrote. “We hope to work with you to modernize FSA operations.”

Listen to the report below.