Fetterman says U.S. must retake farmland from China, aligning with new Florida law

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman said the United States’ adversaries, like the Chinese government, should own “zero” agricultural land in the country.

He urged American leaders to take back such farmland owned by adversaries like China.

“I hope many of our colleagues agree the Chinese government [and adversaries] should own ZERO – zero agricultural land in our country,” the new Pennsylvania senator said. “I believe that.”

“I mean, they’re taking back our pandas. We should take back all their farmland.”

Fetterman’s panda comments refer to National Zoo pandas being sent back to China.

The senator’s comments align with a new law passed by Florida lawmakers and signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis this year that cracks down on the Chinese Communist Party, and those linked to it, from owning farmland and other land near military bases in the Sunshine State.

Sen. Jay Collins, R-Tampa, and Rep. David Borrero, R-Sweetwater, carried the legislation, which was spearheaded by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson.

The new law effectively bans the purchase or acquisition of real estate by the People’s Republic of China.

“Our food security is also national security and so we don’t want the CCP in charge of any food production,” DeSantis said this year. “We really need to have a unified effort in this country to deter the CCPs ambitions and their influence and part of that is asserting our economic sovereignty.”

“When it comes to food, we don’t always think about it as a national security issue,” Simpson said at the bill signing.