How Much U.S. Farmland Does China Really Own? More Than Bill Gates—And Less Than 17 Other Countries (2024)

FAQs

How Much U.S. Farmland Does China Really Own? More Than Bill Gates—And Less Than 17 Other Countries? ›

Of the 109 countries that own U.S. agricultural land, China ranks No. 18, far behind No. 1 Canada (12.8 million acres) and even and the Cayman Islands (672,000). Bill Gates owns almost as much U.S. agricultural land as China at 248,000 acres, according to The Land Report.

Canadian investors lead this pack, by a long shot, with nearly 9.4 million acres of U.S. land — more acreage than 44 of the top 50 foreign landowners combined, according to the report.

People own most farmland. Some 2.6 million owners are individuals or families, and they own more than two thirds of all farm acreage. Fewer than 32,500 non family held corpor ations own farmland, and they own less than 5 percent of all U.S. farmland.

Of the 1.3 billion acres of private agricultural land in the United States, foreign entities fully or partially owned roughly 40 million acres valued at $74 billion in 2021.

Recent reporting shows that a CCP-affiliated corporation purchased farmland in North Dakota that is just a stone's throw from high-capability military bases. The purchase raises the possibility that the Chinese government could use the farmland as a launching pad for espionage under the guise of operating a business.

Chinese buyers comprise one of the largest groups of foreign buyers of residential property in the United States. Historically, between 20,000 and 40,000 residential properties were bought by Chinese nationals, but in 2022, both the sales volume and percentage of all foreign-bought properties declined.

Highlights: Foreign Investment US Real Estate Statistics

From April 2020 to March 2021, investors from outside the United States bought 107,000 properties worth $54.4 billion in the United States. Foreign-born individuals make up 14.25 percent of the population in the country's 50 largest metros, on average.

Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos is not only one of the richest men in the world, with a net worth of $190 billion at the time of this writing, but also he is one of the biggest private landowners in the United States. Bezos owns 420,000 acres. Much of his land is in West Texas.

Does Canada own US farmland? ›

Canada owns the most U.S. agricultural land among foreign countries, equating to 3.8 million acres, more than doubling Italy, which is second with 1.6 million acres. The country that Americans are concerned with is China.

“The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has no business purchasing land near military bases or for agricultural purposes – or for any other reason,” said Rep. Bill Johnson. “It is a critical matter of national security that we prevent the CCP from buying large swaths of American land.

Over the time period displayed, the total farmland area has decreased by almost 50 million acres, reaching a total of 893.4 million acres as of 2022.

Over 1 million acres of Oklahoma farmland are currently owned by foreign entities, and nations like China are, according to Lankford, "100%" using the land for drug production.

Chinese food manufacturer Fufeng Group announced the purchase of 370 acres of land for a wet corn milling plant in 2021. The site is 12 miles from the Grand Forks Air Force Base.

'Newsweek' reports that Bill Gates' purchase of a large patch of land in North Dakota has sparked fury and questions about the Microsoft billionaire. Last week, Gates reportedly purchased 2,100 acres of farmland in North Dakota. He has already amassed almost 270,000 acres of farmland in the United States.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) latest report on foreign ownership of American land, from 2021, 146 Chinese investors held 383,935 acres—nearly double the 193,700 acres that comprise New York City.

The nation's largest private landowners are the Emmerson family in California who own over 2.4 million acres. The bulk of that land is dedicated to timber in Northern California. But the most headline-worthy transaction of 2022 was the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas.

In play now in China, where around 70% of household wealth is in property, this phenomenon is weighing on the post-pandemic recovery of household consumption, which Chinese policymakers have vowed to make a more prominent driver of economic growth.

China, Canada, India, Mexico and Brazil were the top five countries of origin for foreign U.S. buyers. Chinese buyers had the highest average purchase price, at “just over $1 million,” per the report, with 31% of purchasers from China opting for properties in California.

Why are Chinese investors buying US real estate? ›

Many Chinese and Hong Kong nationals may find this an intriguing option because of the relatively cheaper housing prices in the United States (compared to metro areas of other western countries) and the availability of coastal area properties in many country locations.

1. EMMERSON FAMILY. The nation's largest private landowners, California's Emmerson family, are a prime example of this trend. Through their Sierra Pacific Industries, the Emmersons increased their landholdings by more than 100 square miles to over 2.4 million acres.

But farmland still provides real diversification benefits, and best of all, investors don't have to sacrifice long-term returns to lower the risk of their portfolio. Historically, farmland has actually outperformed stocks, bonds, gold, and real estate, generating 10.5% average annual returns since 1992.

#25 Jeff Bezos owns 290,000 acres.

He bought a 290,000-acre ranch in Texas in 2004, and his aerospace firm Blue Origin uses it to test space vehicles. Data provided by The Land Report.

Corn Ranch, or Launch Site One, is a spaceport in the West Texas town of Van Horn, Texas. The 670-square-kilometer (165,000-acre) land parcel was purchased by Internet billionaire Jeff Bezos.

The wealthiest farmer in the United States lives and farms in California. Stewart Resnick, 81, owner of The Wonderful Company and 65 percent of the nation's pistachios, has had a distinct and sweeping effect on agriculture in the Golden State.

The Microsoft co-founder is considered the largest private owner of farmland in the country with some 269,000 acres across dozens of states, according to last year's edition of the Land Report 100, an annual survey of the nation's largest landowners.

After gaining permission from the Vatican, Burhans underwent a comprehensive of bringing the Church into the 21st century. A live database provides a visual of all its land holdings. Conclusion: The Catholic Church owns the most land, far more than McDonald's and billionaire Bill Gates.

The largest country in the world is Russia with a total area of 17,098,242 Km² (6,601,665 mi²) and a land area of 16,376,870 Km² (6,323,142 mi²), equivalent to 11% of the total world's landmass of 148,940,000 Km² (57,510,000 square miles).

What percentage of the world does the Queen own? ›

She is Queen of 32 countries, head of a Commonwealth of 54 countries in which a quarter of the world's population lives, and legal owner of about 6.6 billion acres of land, one-sixth of the earth's land surface.

Vilsack said in a Thursday Senate hearing that Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea together own under 400,000 acres of agricultural land as of 2021. He added that the nation's largest foreign landholders include Canada, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom.

Five countries accounted for approximately 62% of all foreign-owned U.S. agricultural land in 2021. As a share of all foreign-owned acres, these were Canada (31%, mostly forestland), the Netherlands (12%), Italy (7%), the United Kingdom (6%), and Germany (6%).

Total value of U.S. farm real estate 2004-2021

In 2020, the total value of farmland and buildings in the U.S. came to around 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars.

However, this has declined over time, and as of 2022 they controlled approximately 25% of foreign-owned debt. As of January 2023, the five countries owning the most US debt are Japan ($1.1 trillion), China ($859 billion), the United Kingdom ($668 billion), Belgium ($331 billion), and Luxembourg ($318 billion).

So, can foreigners buy property in China? The answer is yes, foreigners are allowed to purchase property in China! The essential requirement is that you have studied or worked in China for at least one year on a residence permit. Foreigners are allowed to only own one residential property for dwelling purposes.

Chinese entities owned 42,596 acres of Missouri agricultural land as of 2021 — just a little under half of the roughly 100,000 agricultural acres owned by all foreign entities, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

One of the main reasons behind this trend is urbanization. Cities and towns are expanding into previously rural areas. And that often involves the conversion of farmland into residential, commercial or industrial land uses.

Low-density residential (LDR) land use includes scattered subdivisions and large-lot housing, which fragments the agricultural land base and limits production. The Plains states are losing some of the most prime farmland in America, according to AFT. Kristopher Reynolds is the Midwest regional director with AFT.

While urban development converted mostly cropland, low-density residential development took an equal toll on cropland and pastures. Since 1997, large-lot properties have increased in number and are often too small to incorporate traditional farming, ranching, or forestry.

Did China buy land in Hawaii? ›

KAPOLEI, Hawaii (KITV4) -- China Oceanwide Holdings has completed the sale of nearly 500 acres of land near the Ko Olina Resort in West Oahu for about $95 million, KITV4 has learned.

Matt Frankel, CFP and mortgage analyst for The Motley Fool, said the reason Oklahoma housing is cheap is due to a combination of factors, including a large amount of developable, flat land. “The real estate market is supply and demand, so that takes care of the supply.

The Molpus Woodlands Group – 286,000 Acres. The Molpus Woodlands Group, a renowned timber supply, forest management, and real estate firm, is the largest private landowner in Minnesota, with 286,000 acres to its name.

Yes, farming, oil, and even honey exports help make North Dakota one of the wealthiest states in the U.S.

Gary Theraldson

According to moneyinc.com, Tharaldson is the only billionaire living in the state of North Dakota. He owns a total of 350 different properties.

The nation's largest private landowners are the Emmerson family in California who own over 2.4 million acres. The bulk of that land is dedicated to timber in Northern California. But the most headline-worthy transaction of 2022 was the Four Sixes Ranch in Texas.

If the Federal Reserve's holdings are excluded, foreigners own nearly 60 percent of outstanding marketable treasuries. Foreigners own less-significant portions of other asset markets. Their holdings of equities, though large in dollar terms, are small relative to the size of the equity market.

How much land does China own in Missouri? ›

Chinese entities owned 42,596 acres of Missouri agricultural land as of 2021 — just a little under half of the roughly 100,000 agricultural acres owned by all foreign entities, according to the Missouri Department of Agriculture.

Canada owns the most U.S. agricultural land among foreign countries, equating to 3.8 million acres, more than doubling Italy, which is second with 1.6 million acres. The country that Americans are concerned with is China.

So can Americans own land in Mexico? Yes they can! Land for sale in Mexico is available for purchase by Americans, Canadians, and anyone around the world considered a “foreigner.”

Conclusion: The Catholic Church owns the most land, far more than McDonald's and billionaire Bill Gates.

Some of the world's biggest billionaires are landowners, such as media mogul Ted Turner who owns 2 million acres, Amazon.com's AMZN, +2.49% CEO Jeff Bezos who has amassed 420,000 acres and Microsoft MSFT, +0.58% co-founder Bill Gates's 270,000 acres, he notes.

Real estate, for either personal use or rental purposes, is the most highly valued asset owned by households.

Assets at financial institutions, such as checking and savings accounts, and vehicle equity were the most common assets. In 2020, 95.6 percent of households had assets at financial institutions, and 82.2 percent owned vehicles.

64% of Americans own real estate. 35% of the American population does not own their own homes. Homeownership rates have increased to nearly 65% in the US since the 1940s.

The answer is yes, foreigners are allowed to purchase property in China! The essential requirement is that you have studied or worked in China for at least one year on a residence permit. Foreigners are allowed to only own one residential property for dwelling purposes.

Can citizens own land in China? ›

Because China is a socialist country, all land is either subject to government ownership or collective ownership. In principle, municipal land is subject to government ownership and land outside cities is subject to collective ownership. However, one can obtain the right to use the land.