Federal Efforts Ramp Up to Protect Rural America

In a sweeping set of actions aimed at safeguarding rural communities and strengthening American agriculture, both federal lawmakers and executive agencies are taking bold steps to prioritize the interests of farmers and landowners across the country.

Congresswoman Mary Miller (R-IL), who represents Illinois’ 15th Congressional District, recently introduced the House companion to Senator Josh Hawley’s Protecting Our Farms and Homes from China Act. The legislation seeks to ban Chinese corporations and individuals affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) from purchasing American farmland and residential property—an aggressive move in response to rising concerns over foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural assets.

“The Chinese Communist Party is the greatest threat to our national security, and their aggressive push to buy up our farmland and homes is a direct attack on our sovereignty,” Miller said. “It’s long past time we take back control and put America’s food supply and communities back in American hands—where they belong.”

The proposed legislation would prohibit CCP-affiliated individuals and companies from acquiring or leasing U.S. farmland, block residential property purchases for a minimum of two years, and require divestment of existing holdings. Noncompliance would result in civil fines, criminal penalties, and property forfeiture. The bill aligns with the National Farm Security Action Plan recently launched by President Trump and United States Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, among other cabinet officials, to combat foreign threats and reinforce American agricultural independence.

This renewed focus on agricultural security also underpins a significant restructuring of the U.S. Department of Agriculture itself. On July 24, Secretary Rollins announced a major decentralization effort: more than half of the USDA’s Washington, D.C.–based workforce—approximately 2,600 employees—will be relocated to five regional hubs in Salt Lake City, Fort Collins, Indianapolis, Kansas City, and Raleigh. The department’s stated goal is to reduce bureaucracy, consolidate redundant operations, and most critically, bring federal employees closer to the communities they serve.

USDA officials note that the plan will address chronic underuse of federal buildings in the National Capital Region and reduce operating costs by shifting personnel to lower cost-of-living areas. Core services such as food safety and emergency response will remain intact, with essential roles exempt from federal hiring freezes. While critics have voiced concerns over potential disruptions to research and oversight, USDA leadership asserts the move is both fiscally responsible and aligned with the long-term needs of American agriculture.

Secretary Rollins has emphasized that this reorganization is not a downsizing measure; most staff reductions have already occurred through voluntary retirement and attrition earlier in the year. The department’s approach prioritizes aligning workforce size with its budget, restoring trust in government efficiency, and delivering services more effectively to rural America.

Together, these developments reflect a broader shift in federal policy aimed at reshaping how the United States manages agricultural land and delivers services to rural communities. As lawmakers pursue legislative safeguards against foreign land acquisition and the USDA works to increase its regional presence, the focus remains on strengthening food security and supporting the long-term needs of American agriculture.