- Oct 17, 2011
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Leaving the barn door open is way better than closing it afterwards.
Oklahoma lawmakers have passed measures limiting foreign ownership of farmland in response to concerns about Chinese nationals and companies buying agricultural land in the state.
While approximately 4.3% of Oklahoma farmland is foreign-owned, according to the USDA’s most recent filings, most of that is held by Canadian and European companies for renewable energy projects. Less than 1% of that share is Chinese.
Still, anti-China rhetoric has largely driven legislation, and a recent poll shows Republicans nationwide are concerned about Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland.
The carve-outs specifically exempt Smithfield Foods, the only Chinese-owned company with farmland in Oklahoma. Smithfield Foods, owned by China’s WH Group, is not affected by the restrictions and continues to raise hogs on roughly 2,575 acres in northwest Oklahoma.
In 2024 and 2025, Smithfield spent at least $1.58 million on lobbying and more than $90,000 in political contributions during the 2024 election cycle. The company is represented on the board of the Oklahoma Pork Council, a trade group with registered lobbyists.
Oklahoma lawmakers have passed measures limiting foreign ownership of farmland in response to concerns about Chinese nationals and companies buying agricultural land in the state.
While approximately 4.3% of Oklahoma farmland is foreign-owned, according to the USDA’s most recent filings, most of that is held by Canadian and European companies for renewable energy projects. Less than 1% of that share is Chinese.
Still, anti-China rhetoric has largely driven legislation, and a recent poll shows Republicans nationwide are concerned about Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland.
The carve-outs specifically exempt Smithfield Foods, the only Chinese-owned company with farmland in Oklahoma. Smithfield Foods, owned by China’s WH Group, is not affected by the restrictions and continues to raise hogs on roughly 2,575 acres in northwest Oklahoma.
In 2024 and 2025, Smithfield spent at least $1.58 million on lobbying and more than $90,000 in political contributions during the 2024 election cycle. The company is represented on the board of the Oklahoma Pork Council, a trade group with registered lobbyists.
