Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act (FARM Act)

This bill, officially named the "Foreign Adversary Risk Management Act" or the "FARM Act," aims to protect the United States agriculture industry from foreign influence and potential harm. It proposes amendments to the Defense Production Act of 1950 to address these concerns.

Key Findings

The bill begins by stating a few key findings:

United States agriculture and supply chains are critical for the country's economic success and should be treated as critical infrastructure and critical technologies.
Agriculture is vital for feeding families across the United States, making food security a matter of national security and a top priority.
To prevent harm to the public health sector, disruptions to the economy, and food supply chain issues, foreign influence on the United States agriculture industry needs to be mitigated.

Proposed Amendments

The bill suggests several amendments to the Defense Production Act of 1950 to specifically address agriculture and its supply chains:

Includes the Secretary of Agriculture as a representative in the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.
Expands the scope of review for foreign investments in agriculture-related businesses, considering any transaction that could result in foreign control of a United States business engaged in agriculture.
Includes agricultural systems and supply chains as part of critical infrastructure, subject to regulations set by the Committee.
Identifies agricultural supply chains for agricultural products as critical technologies under the Defense Production Act.

Reporting Requirements

The bill mandates that within one year of its enactment and annually thereafter, the Secretary of Agriculture and the Comptroller General of the United States must conduct an analysis of foreign influence in the United States agriculture industry. They are required to submit reports to Congress that include information on foreign investments in the industry, the potential risks posed by foreign investment, the biggest threats to increased foreign control, and any instances of agricultural espionage or theft by foreign governments.

Rep. Morgan Luttrell

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