The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is proposing to update its regulations regarding the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 (the AFIDA). The revisions would reflect Congressional directives to establish a streamlined process for electronic submission and retention of disclosures made under AFIDA, including the deployment of an internet database. It would also revise reporting requirements and strengthen enforcement measures. Through the implementation of modernization measures and expanded scope and depth of reporting, this proposed rule will help ensure the AFIDA regulations address foreign investment and ownership of American agricultural land, particularly as it might present a national security risk.
