Despite Republicans publicly opposing Chinese ownership of American farmland, some within the party are lobbying on behalf of Smithfield Foods, a major agricultural firm controlled by a Chinese company. This situation raises concerns regarding national security and foreign influence on U.S. land.
Former Republican aides are employed by Smithfield Foods to influence legislation aimed at restricting foreign ownership of U.S. farmland.
Smithfield is primarily owned by the Hong Kong-based WH Group, which holds about 87% of the company and oversees approximately 87,000 acres of American land.
Lobbying efforts include contracts with firms like Holland & Knight, which were paid $270,000 for issues related to foreign ownership of agricultural land, including the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act (S.903).
Key lobbyists working on these efforts include Christopher DeLacy, a former aide to Republican Senator John Warner, and Molly Ross, a former aide to Senator Susan Collins.
Republican officials have declared Chinese access to U.S. farmland a national security risk, with some stating that foreign adversaries should not control American agricultural assets.
Washington Republicans are actively campaigning against foreign ownership, while Smithfield is leveraging connections with former government officials to navigate this political landscape.
As Republicans push back against Chinese ownership of agricultural land, the involvement of former GOP insiders in lobbying for Chinese-controlled Smithfield Foods raises questions about the integrity of their position and the potential influence of foreign entities in U.S. agriculture.
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