A Wisconsin bill aimed at sharply restricting Wisconsin foreign farmland ownership of agricultural land is advancing after a public hearing this week. Senate Bill 219 would lower the current cap from 640 acres to just 50 acres for foreign persons or entities owning farmland in the state.
“Preserving Wisconsin’s agricultural traditions and rural way of life is of the utmost importance,” said Rep. Clint Moses (R-Menomonie), a co-sponsor of the bill. “This bill protects our farmers and keeps our land in the hands of Wisconsinites.”
Sen. Rob Stafsholt (R-New Richmond), another key backer, said the legislation is designed not only to protect local agriculture but also to promote national security.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in 2023 that more than 600,000 acres of Wisconsin farmland—about 2.6% of the state’s total—are already foreign-owned. Nationally, foreign-owned U.S. farmland grew by 15% over two years, reaching 45.9 million acres. The lawmakers argue this growth poses a threat to both food security and economic sovereignty.
Under the proposed bill, the new 50-acre limit would apply specifically to farmland. However, no acreage limits would be placed on foreign ownership of land used for mining, manufacturing, retail, or fuel industry purposes. The legislation also removes the current 640-acre cap on foreign-owned forestry land, focusing the new restrictions solely on agricultural property.
With agriculture contributing over $116 billion annually to Wisconsin’s economy, lawmakers are emphasizing the need to keep food-producing land under domestic control. The bill now heads to an executive session in the Senate committee for further consideration.
