This from WLFI.com: TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IN — A bill aimed at protecting Hoosier farmers, and their land, is now moving to the Indiana House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 388 passed the Senate recently with a vote of 47 to 2. Local Indiana State Senator, Ron Alting, is a co-author of the bill.
“When I read the bill I wanted to be on it immediately,” said Senator Alting. “I’m proud to represent agricultural land in Indiana and our hard working farmers and protect them, and their land, and this bill does a job in doing that.”
Senate Bill 388 is designed to put requirements in place, stating in July, to prohibit foreign businesses from buying large amounts of Indiana’s agricultural land.
“The goal of this bill is to help Indiana farmers and make sure our food supply chain stays locally,” said Alting. “We’ve seen across the country, and in Indiana, foreign countries particularly in China coming in and by thousands and thousands of acres.”
If a foreign business is interested in purchasing Hoosier farmland, the land can only be used for research or experimental purposes.
“The only exception to that is it’s got to be 320 acres or less,” said Alting. “Meaning they can do research and stuff like that on 320 acres or less, but not any more than that.”
If a foreign entity already owns Hoosier farmland, Senate Bill 388 would put new requirements in place for getting rid of the land.
“If they presently own farmland in Indiana, when they sell they cannot sell to another foreign entity,” said Alting. “They’ll have to sell that to a United States company and that will go through the Attorney General’s Office.”
If Senate Bill 388 is passed, Alting believes it will be beneficial for Hoosier farmers.
“You know the United States is number one in the world on exports of our food,” said Alting. “So we want to make sure that it stays like that and protects all United States farmers.”
Alting believes other states will pass similar legislation moving forward. However, Senate Bill 388 is designed to specifically protect Indiana farmers.
“We’ve had states like Iowa pass the same legislation and Minnesota,” said Alting. “You’re going to see about all Midwestern states that are big in agriculture pass such bills as this.”
Alting says it’s important to make sure Hoosier farmland is protected.
“You only have so much land, and once it’s sold and once it’s gone, it’s gone,” said Alting. “We kind of control our destiny, with exception of the weather from mother nature, so we want to make sure we’re in charge of our food chain and in the driver’s seat to do that.”
Alting says you can’t do that unless you own the land.
“This is protection to Indiana farmers, ” said Alting. “They deserve this.”