Foreign individuals and entities reported holding an interest in more than 46 million acres of U.S. agricultural land as of December 31, 2024, according to the latest USDA annual report. That equals 3.6% of privately held U.S. agricultural land—or 2% of all land in the country. The figures describe reported foreign-held interests, not just land owned outright.
What the latest USDA figure means
The USDA Farm Service Agency’s report, published January 22, 2026, puts reported foreign interests in U.S. agricultural land at over 46 million acres as of December 31, 2024. Read the USDA report.
| Comparison | USDA figure | What the denominator includes |
|---|---|---|
| Share of privately held U.S. agricultural land | 3.6% | Privately held agricultural land |
| Share of all U.S. land | 2% | All land in the United States |
These percentages answer different questions because their denominators differ. The 3.6% figure is the share of privately held agricultural land; the 2% figure compares the reported acreage with all land in the United States. Neither means foreign interests account for that share of all U.S. farmland, public and private combined.
Why “foreign-held interest” is more precise than “foreign-owned”
The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (AFIDA) requires foreign persons to report covered interests in U.S. agricultural land. The USDA report says acquisitions and transfers must be reported within 90 days. Required information includes the foreign person, type of interest, acreage, land use, intended use and transaction details.
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Coverage can include direct and indirect interests when an indirect foreign person has a “significant interest or substantial control” in the direct interest holder. The reported total therefore should not be read as acreage titled directly to foreign individuals, or as land owned by foreign governments. It also includes qualifying lease interests.
How leases differ from ownership
A USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) analysis published February 26, 2026, examines 2022 AFIDA data. It found that long-term foreign-held leases—those lasting 10 years or more—accounted for roughly one-third of foreign-held agricultural acreage in 2022, up from roughly 20% in 2017. Those lease figures describe the 2022 data, not the 2024 annual total. Read the ERS analysis.
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| Measure in ERS analysis | Reported result |
|---|---|
| Foreign-held agricultural acreage under leases of 10 years or more, 2022 | Roughly one-third |
| Same lease share, 2017 | Roughly 20% |
| Foreign-leased acreage associated with renewable energy development | 85% |
| Foreign-owned acreage associated with renewable energy development | 2% |
ERS also found that foreign leases were less likely than foreign purchases to result in a change of agricultural operator. A lease can provide income to an owner-operator without substantially changing existing farm activity, while renewable-energy development is strongly associated with leased acreage in the 2022 analysis.
How current and reliable is the count?
The 46-million-acre figure is the latest reported annual snapshot identified here, not a real-time census. It is compiled from AFIDA disclosures, and federal reviews have documented weaknesses in collection, verification and data sharing. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported in January 2024 that its review of data through 2021 found errors and that USDA did not share AFIDA information with relevant agencies in a sufficiently timely and specific way. See GAO’s report and recommendation updates.
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USDA’s detailed-data page cautions that spreadsheet records can contain inaccuracies, including typographical errors introduced when paper filings are entered manually; it also says historical spreadsheets are not updated when later corrections are made. Treat the annual figure as a reported estimate with known data limitations, rather than a perfectly verified tally of current holdings. See USDA’s AFIDA data and caveats.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed in AFIDA reporting in 2026?
On January 22, 2026, USDA announced an online AFIDA reporting portal. Filers can use the portal or continue filing the FSA-153 paper form; USDA cautioned against submitting duplicate filings. The agency says the portal collects the same information as the form, and that AFIDA disclosures feed an annual report to Congress. The portal’s launch does not turn the December 2024 holdings figure into a live measurement. Read USDA’s portal announcement.
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- !!!PLEASE NOTE: Please search satellite signals in an uncovered sky before using. When the signal value in the upper left corner of the device screen is below 1 m, start using to ensure the accuracy of the device. This device don't have map and cannot be used for navigation
- TIPS: The device needed to be held horizontal for taking measurements. Recommend to measure Area above 0.04 acres and distance above 328ft. The larger the measurement range, the smaller the error.The altitude data displayed on the device is GPS altitude, which fluctuates with changes in the satellite signals received. This is normal
- High Precision Measuring: Supports 6 satellite systems for fast, reliable signal, area measurement error in 0.002 acres, distance error in 5 ft,it cannot search satellite signals indoor
- 7 Measurement Modes: Measure area, distance, height and slope; save coordinates (save only, no edit). Two area measurement methods for gardens, parking lots, ranches and flat lands; two distance modes for paths, boundaries and irregular routes to measure straight and curved distances
- Sunlight-Readable 3.2" Color Screen: 240×320 high-resolution large display. Measurement results show directly on screen for easy viewing, clearly visible even under direct bright sunlight
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