Pillen helps launch federal Farm Security Action Plan, aimed at curbing China’s influence

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen joined federal officials Tuesday in the unveiling of an initiative aimed at protecting the nation’s agriculture industry from foreign influence.

Pillen and other governors have raised alarms that people and companies connected to the Chinese Communist Party are buying up significant amounts of U.S. farmland.

“This is a coordinated, strategic effort by the CCP to weaken America from within and use our land as a Trojan horse,” 11 current and former governors, including Pillen, wrote in a letter to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is rolling out the Farm Security Action Plan in response.

“Farm security equals food security, which equals national security,” Pillen said. “Thanks to these actions taken by President Trump and his team, we can further protect the backbone of Nebraska’s economy from foreign adversaries like China.”

The plan includes seven action items, including strengthening the enforcement of the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act.

The USDA will increase civil penalties for those who don’t comply with the law’s reporting requirements or who knowingly submit false information.

The plan also calls for enhanced protections for the nation’s food supply from biological threats like pathogens and invasive species.

Last month, Pillen signed a bill that prohibits companies associated with the Chinese Communist Party from receiving Nebraska tax credits.