NALC’s Pittman, Brown featured in foreign ownership panel at national event
“While the conversation regarding foreign ownership of U.S. land has grown over the last decade, it has grown immensely in 2023. It’s one of the most active issues at both the state and federal levels, if not the most. That trend looks to continue into 2024.” — Harrison Pittman
By Drew Viguet
National Agricultural Law Center
U of A System Division of Agriculture
Dec. 19, 2023
Fast facts:
- NALC attorneys will discuss foreign ownership as part of a panel at Land Expo event
- More than half of U.S. states have taken some form of action on foreign ownership in 2023
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Download related photos of Pittman and Brown
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — National Agricultural Law Center Director Harrison Pittman and
Staff Attorney Micah Brown will participate in a panel on foreign ownership of U.S.
land at one of the nation’s premier agricultural events in January.
The panel is a part of the Jan. 9 Land Investment Expo in Des Moines, Iowa. According
to the event website, “the Land Investment Expo has become a main event for office
holders, office seekers, and prominent agricultural industry voices to provide keen
insight and debate the events of today and the future of tomorrow.”
Pittman and Brown will be joined by David Bergvall, director of policy and environment
for Manulife Investment Management Timberland and Agriculture and Todd Friedman, co-chair
of Stoel Rives Agribusiness, Food, Beverage and Timber Industry Group. Registration
for the event is online, with in-person and livestream options available.
Brown is a leading national expert on foreign ownership of agricultural land. He has
created resources on the topic, including the Foreign Ownership of Agricultural Land: FAQs and Resource Library.
Pittman and Brown frequently present on the topic of foreign ownership at events throughout
the country, from agricultural conferences and farm bureau meetings to national hearings.
In September, Pittman testified on the topic during a hearing before the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition & Forestry. Brown also
testified in September before the Mississippi Department of Agriculture & Commerce Study Committee
on Acquisition of Farmland.
“While the conversation regarding foreign ownership of U.S. land has grown over the
last decade, it has grown immensely in 2023,” Pittman said. “It’s one of the most
active issues at both the state and federal levels, if not the most. That trend looks
to continue into 2024.”
In 2023, more than half of the states in the country took some form of action regarding
foreign ownership. In October, Arkansas became the first state in the country to enforce a state foreign ownership law. The first legal challenge to a state foreign ownership law was Shen v. Simpson in Florida, in which the judge ultimately decided that Florida may continue enacting
its foreign ownership law.
More information on foreign ownership, including which states have put forth proposals
and which have enacted laws, is available online at the NALC website.
For information about the National Agricultural Law Center, visit nationalaglawcenter.org or follow @Nataglaw on X. The National Agricultural Law Center is also on Facebook and LinkedIn.
For updates on agricultural law and policy developments, subscribe free of charge
to The Feed, the NALC’s twice-a-month newsletter highlighting recent legal developments facing
agriculture.
About the National Agricultural Law Center
The National Agricultural Law Center serves as the nation’s leading source of agricultural
and food law research and information. The NALC works with producers, state and federal
policymakers, Congressional staffers, attorneys, land grant universities, and many
others to provide objective, nonpartisan agricultural and food law research and information
to the nation’s agricultural community.
The NALC is a unit of the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture and
works in close partnership with the USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Agricultural
Library.
About the Division of Agriculture
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture’s mission is to strengthen
agriculture, communities, and families by connecting trusted research to the adoption
of best practices. The Division of Agriculture conducts research and extension work
within the nation’s historic land grant education system through the Agricultural
Experiment Station and the Cooperative Extension Service.
The Division of Agriculture is one of 20 entities within the University of Arkansas
System. It has offices in all 75 counties in Arkansas and faculty on five system campuses.
The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture is an equal opportunity/equal
access/affirmative action institution. If you require a reasonable accommodation to
participate or need materials in another format, please contact dviguet@uark.edu as
soon as possible. Dial 711 for Arkansas Relay.
# # #
Media contact:
Drew Viguet
Communications & Special Projects Coordinator
National Agricultural Law Center
dviguet@uark.edu