Foreign-Owned U.S. Farmland Map
Every county's foreign-held farmland and forest at the end of 2024, from the USDA's own disclosure filings, by the owner's country, with national and country totals for every year since 2010.
01The Map
Each county is shaded by the share of its land held by foreign owners at the end of 2024. Pick a country to see only its holdings, or switch to farmland or forest only. Click a county, or find it by name, for its largest foreign holders. The address bar keeps the view you pick, so it can be shared as a link.
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The whole country
Click a county on the map for its details.
Agricultural land only (farmland and forest), the same basis as the 46.3 million acre total above. The USDA's own country and state tables also count the 1.0 million acres of non-agricultural land that sit on the same holdings.
Read the country as the foreign investor's home, as filed. Many holdings are U.S.-registered companies with foreign investors, and the USDA lists the country of the main foreign investor. Holdings with several foreign investors and no main one, or with none named, are counted under those labels.
02By Country
Foreign-held agricultural land by the owner's country at the end of 2024, with the change since 2010. Like every figure on this page, these count agricultural land only. The USDA's own country table also counts the 1.0 million acres of non-agricultural land on the same holdings, so its totals run slightly higher and add up to 47.2 million. Holdings with no main foreign country are listed without a rank.
| # | Country | Acres, 2024 | Share | Acres, 2010 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 15,915,731 | 34.4% | 7,133,283 |
| 2 | Netherlands | 4,568,421 | 9.9% | 4,703,374 |
| 3 | Germany | 2,725,177 | 5.9% | 1,600,519 |
| 4 | Italy | 2,656,441 | 5.7% | 898,881 |
| 5 | United Kingdom | 2,617,598 | 5.7% | 1,432,567 |
| 6 | Denmark | 2,127,473 | 4.6% | 1,045,163 |
| – | Several countries (no main one) | 1,519,403 | 3.3% | 327,685 |
| 7 | France | 1,373,347 | 3.0% | 753,656 |
| – | No foreign investor listed | 1,364,766 | 2.9% | 177,139 |
| 8 | Portugal | 1,178,100 | 2.5% | 855,791 |
| 9 | Switzerland | 1,147,317 | 2.5% | 593,093 |
| 10 | Luxembourg | 915,470 | 2.0% | 127,303 |
| 11 | Japan | 791,813 | 1.7% | 531,702 |
| 12 | Ireland | 773,896 | 1.7% | 719,140 |
| 13 | Cayman Islands | 698,624 | 1.5% | 64,595 |
| 14 | Sweden | 688,880 | 1.5% | 83,251 |
| 15 | Mexico | 684,110 | 1.5% | 652,156 |
| 16 | Singapore | 661,105 | 1.4% | 92,732 |
| 17 | British Virgin Islands | 368,505 | 0.8% | 344,470 |
| 18 | Spain | 355,278 | 0.8% | 204,958 |
Acres held at the end of each year by owners from the largest countries. A country's total can jump when one large holder files, sells, or changes the country it reports.
03The Biggest Foreign Landholders
The organizations with the most U.S. agricultural land in the 2024 filings. Related companies often file separately, so a group's total can be larger than any one line. Individuals are not listed.
| # | Owner, as filed | Country | Acres | States |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Invenergy Wind Development LLC | Canada | 1,981,690 | 24 |
| 2 | Allagash Timberlands LP | Canada | 1,110,346 | 2 |
| 3 | Aroostook Timberlands LLC | Canada | 969,768 | 1 |
| 4 | John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.) | Canada | 734,535 | 19 |
| 5 | Jefferson Smurfit Corporation (U.S.) | Ireland | 612,713 | 4 |
| 6 | Red Mountain Timberco III, L.L.C. | Netherlands | 570,680 | 3 |
| 7 | Red Mountain Timberco IV, L.L.C. | Netherlands | 424,032 | 4 |
| 8 | States Edge Wind Energy, LLC | Canada | 405,959 | 2 |
| 9 | Crown Pine Timber I, L.P. | Canada | 353,653 | 1 |
| 10 | Red Mountain Timberco I, L.L.C. | Netherlands | 330,249 | 2 |
| 11 | Invenergy Solar Project Development, LLC | Canada | 311,872 | 35 |
| 12 | Threetree Southern Growth, LLC | Sweden | 299,690 | 1 |
| 13 | Katahdin Forest Management LLC | Canada | 293,813 | 1 |
| 14 | John Hancock Variable Life Ins CO; John Hancock Life Ins CO; & Maulife Ins. CO | Canada | 292,085 | 4 |
| 15 | John Hancock Life Insurance For Separate Account #112 | Canada | 274,783 | 4 |
| 16 | Edf Renewable Development CORP. Fka Enxco Development CORP. | France | 271,333 | 19 |
| 17 | Bering Pacific Ranches, Limited | Canada | 270,131 | 1 |
| 18 | Invenergy Wind Development North America, LLC | Canada | 258,705 | 6 |
| 19 | Verdant Timber Michigan | Singapore | 255,935 | 1 |
| 20 | Eads Wind And Solar, LLC, Lessee | Netherlands | 244,756 | 1 |
| 21 | Gmo Threshold Timber Michigan L.L.C. | Netherlands | 240,511 | 1 |
| 22 | Red River Texarkana I, L.P. | Canada | 230,551 | 2 |
| 23 | Diamond Holdings, INC. | United Kingdom | 229,988 | 1 |
| 24 | Orsted Onshore Real Estate Holdings, LLC | Denmark | 226,235 | 14 |
| 25 | Great Lakes Forests 1 LLC | Canada | 224,467 | 1 |
Most of the largest holdings are timberland and long-term leases for wind and solar farms. The USDA counted 10.6 million acres of foreign-held wind energy leases alone at the end of 2024. Invenergy, a Chicago wind and solar developer, is listed under Canada because of its Canadian investor.
04By State
Texas has the most foreign-held agricultural land, at 5.9 million acres; Maine has the highest share of its land, at 17.9%. Click a column heading to sort.
| State | Acres | Share of land | Largest countries |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 5,886,860 | 3.52% | Canada, Germany, Sweden |
| Maine | 3,528,273 | 17.87% | Canada, Netherlands, Luxembourg |
| Colorado | 2,422,076 | 3.65% | Canada, Netherlands, United Kingdom |
| Alabama | 2,195,367 | 6.77% | Netherlands, Canada, Several countries (no main one) |
| Oklahoma | 2,023,272 | 4.61% | Canada, Italy, Germany |
| Michigan | 1,893,774 | 5.23% | Singapore, Netherlands, Canada |
| New Mexico | 1,893,655 | 2.44% | Canada, Mexico, United Kingdom |
| Washington | 1,837,856 | 4.32% | Canada, United Kingdom, Netherlands |
| Louisiana | 1,701,699 | 6.15% | Canada, Netherlands, Cayman Islands |
| Arkansas | 1,493,103 | 4.49% | Canada, Netherlands, Germany |
| Florida | 1,482,636 | 4.32% | Ireland, Netherlands, Canada |
| Oregon | 1,413,019 | 2.30% | Canada, Sweden, Denmark |
| California | 1,357,750 | 1.36% | United Kingdom, Canada, Netherlands |
| Kansas | 1,343,300 | 2.57% | Canada, Italy, Denmark |
| Georgia | 1,337,940 | 3.62% | Canada, Germany, Ireland |
| Mississippi | 1,094,523 | 3.64% | Netherlands, Canada, Switzerland |
| New York | 1,054,742 | 3.50% | Canada, Denmark, Cayman Islands |
| Montana | 1,022,886 | 1.10% | Canada, Belgium, No foreign investor listed |
| Nebraska | 959,435 | 1.95% | Canada, Italy, No foreign investor listed |
| Illinois | 875,166 | 2.46% | Canada, Italy, Portugal |
| South Carolina | 839,544 | 4.36% | Netherlands, Canada, Denmark |
| Wisconsin | 622,426 | 1.80% | Several countries (no main one), Denmark, Canada |
| Minnesota | 603,699 | 1.18% | Finland, United Kingdom, Italy |
| North Carolina | 596,289 | 1.92% | Canada, Netherlands, Germany |
| Ohio | 534,907 | 2.05% | Denmark, Canada, Germany |
| Nevada | 511,666 | 0.73% | Canada, British Virgin Islands, Hong Kong |
| Iowa | 504,677 | 1.41% | Canada, Italy, France |
| South Dakota | 480,005 | 0.99% | Canada, France, United Kingdom |
| Wyoming | 478,401 | 0.77% | Canada, United Kingdom, Germany |
| Tennessee | 471,162 | 1.79% | Netherlands, Denmark, United Kingdom |
| Missouri | 454,977 | 1.03% | Italy, Canada, China |
| North Dakota | 450,908 | 1.02% | Italy, Canada, United Kingdom |
| Indiana | 443,916 | 1.94% | Portugal, Canada, Germany |
| Pennsylvania | 426,349 | 1.49% | Canada, Several countries (no main one), Germany |
| West Virginia | 322,308 | 2.09% | Several countries (no main one), Canada, Netherlands |
| Arizona | 319,521 | 0.44% | Switzerland, Mexico, Luxembourg |
| Virginia | 283,490 | 1.12% | Canada, Germany, United Kingdom |
| Hawaii | 278,902 | 6.79% | Canada, Japan, New Zealand |
| Alaska | 270,325 | 0.07% | Canada, Sweden, France |
| Idaho | 147,405 | 0.28% | France, Canada, United Kingdom |
| Kentucky | 119,657 | 0.47% | United Kingdom, Canada, Australia |
| Vermont | 103,660 | 1.76% | Canada, United Kingdom, Switzerland |
| Utah | 94,781 | 0.18% | United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy |
| Maryland | 57,561 | 0.93% | Germany, Canada, France |
| New Jersey | 15,220 | 0.32% | Netherlands, Canada, Germany |
| New Hampshire | 13,718 | 0.24% | United Kingdom, Bahamas, Panama |
| Massachusetts | 5,043 | 0.10% | Netherlands, United Kingdom, Canada |
| Delaware | 3,785 | 0.30% | Netherlands, Israel, Switzerland |
| Puerto Rico | 3,543 | 0.16% | Germany, Liechtenstein, Spain |
| Connecticut | 1,861 | 0.06% | United Kingdom, Canada, Cayman Islands |
| Rhode Island | 15 | 0.00% | Austria |
05How It Has Grown Since 2010
Foreign-held agricultural land went from 24.2 million acres at the end of 2010 to 46.3 million at the end of 2024. Forest remains the largest single land use, but cropland and pasture have grown faster, much of it through wind and solar leases.
When today's holdings were acquired
Acres still held at the end of 2024, by the year the owner says it acquired them. Land bought and later sold is not counted.
06China and Other Countries of Concern
Holdings listed under China came to 237,152 acres at the end of 2024, 0.5% of all foreign-held agricultural land, ranking number 21 among countries. Hong Kong, listed separately, adds 143,218 acres. Russia (11 acres) and Iran (462) are tiny by comparison. Since the 2024 filings, owners must also say whether a foreign investor from China, Iran, Russia or North Korea has a smaller, secondary interest; 1,361 acres reported one from China.
Largest holders listed under China or Hong Kong
| Owner, as filed | Acres |
|---|---|
| Nv Big Springs INC. | 108,000 |
| Brazos Highland Properties, LP | 86,994 |
| Murphy Brown LLC (Smithfield Foods) | 56,914 |
| Murphy Brown Of Missouri LLC (Smithfield Foods) | 43,091 |
| Harvest Texas, LLC | 29,705 |
| Csy Winter, INC. | 8,749 |
| Guilford Realty CO. | 3,367 |
| U.S. Agri-Chemicals CORP. | 2,919 |
| Far Pacific Grains, INC. | 2,466 |
| Syngenta Seeds, LLC | 2,020 |
China and Hong Kong since 2010
07How This Map Works
Under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978, foreign persons, foreign companies and U.S. companies with significant foreign ownership must report to the USDA within 90 days when they buy, sell or lease for 10 years or more any U.S. agricultural land: farmland, ranchland, and forest or timberland. Holdings of more than 10 acres in all count, and so do smaller ones if they bring in more than $1,000 a year from farm, ranch or timber products. The USDA publishes every reported holding once a year. This page reads every year's file from 2010 to 2024 (49,548 holdings in the 2024 file).
A county's share is its foreign-held acres divided by its total land area from the Census Bureau, not by its farmland alone, so it is a share of all land. The country is the one the filer gives for its main foreign investor. Federal auditors have found the filings incomplete and the USDA warns they can contain errors, so treat small numbers with care: a single late or wrong filing can move a county or a small country's total.
08Frequently Asked Questions
How much U.S. farmland is foreign-owned?
At the end of 2024, foreign persons and companies reported holding 46.3 million acres of U.S. agricultural land to the USDA, counting leases of 10 years or more, which the USDA puts at 3.6% of all privately held agricultural land. 22.2 million acres of that is forest and 24.0 million acres is cropland, pasture and other farmland. The USDA counts forest and timberland as agricultural land.
Which country owns the most U.S. farmland?
Canada, by a wide margin: 15.9 million acres, or 34% of all foreign-held agricultural land at the end of 2024. Much of it is long-term leases for wind and solar farms and timberland held through U.S. companies with Canadian investors.
How much U.S. farmland does China own?
Holdings listed under China came to 237,152 acres at the end of 2024, 0.5% of foreign-held agricultural land and number 21 among countries. Hong Kong is listed separately, with 143,218 acres. The best-known holding is the hog farmland of Smithfield Foods, owned by Hong Kong-listed WH Group.
Is foreign-owned farmland a large share of U.S. farmland?
Not nationally. The 46.3 million acres is about the size of North Dakota, and 3.6% of privately held U.S. agricultural land by the USDA's count. In most counties the share is well under 1%; the map shows where it is higher.
Where does this data come from?
Every number comes from the USDA Farm Service Agency's Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA) filings, which the USDA publishes once a year as a spreadsheet of every reported holding. Foreign owners must report within 90 days of buying, selling or leasing agricultural land, or face a penalty of up to 25% of the land's value. The USDA warns that the filings are self-reported and can contain errors.
09Sources and Downloads
- USDA Farm Service Agency: Detailed data underlying the AFIDA annual reports, 2010 to 2024
- USDA Farm Service Agency: AFIDA annual reports (the 2024 report: Foreign Holdings of U.S. Agricultural Land Through December 31, 2024)
- USDA Farm Service Agency: AFIDA reporting requirements for foreign investors
- U.S. Government Accountability Office: Foreign Investments in U.S. Agricultural Land (GAO-24-106337)
- U.S. Census Bureau: county land area (Gazetteer files)
Downloads: every county, 2024 (CSV) · every state, 2024 (CSV) · every country, 2010 to 2024 (CSV). Free to reuse with a link to this page. Related: Sanctions Tracker · Travel Advisory Tracker · U.S. Military Bases Around the World.
Cite This Page
This page is free to cite and link. Its figures come from USDA Farm Service Agency (Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act holdings data) and U.S. Census Bureau (county gazetteer) and are kept current, so please include the date you accessed it.
| Format | Citation | Copy |
|---|---|---|
| Plain | Dave Manuel, “Foreign-Owned U.S. Farmland Map,” DaveManuel.com, updated November 6, 2026, https://www.davemanuel.com/foreign-owned-farmland-map.php (accessed November 6, 2026). | Copy |
| APA | Manuel, D. (2026). Foreign-Owned U.S. Farmland Map. DaveManuel.com. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://www.davemanuel.com/foreign-owned-farmland-map.php | Copy |
| Chicago | Manuel, Dave. “Foreign-Owned U.S. Farmland Map.” DaveManuel.com. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://www.davemanuel.com/foreign-owned-farmland-map.php. | Copy |
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| Link (HTML) | <a href="https://www.davemanuel.com/foreign-owned-farmland-map.php">Foreign-Owned U.S. Farmland Map (DaveManuel.com)</a> | Copy |
Source data: USDA Farm Service Agency (Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act holdings data) and U.S. Census Bureau (county gazetteer). Updates: Yearly. Page last updated November 6, 2026. How we build our data pages.