Another push to address foreign ag-land purchases inching toward Gov. Noem's desk

Measure bolsters South Dakota's ban on hostile nations buying farmland

PIERRE – Adding teeth to South Dakota’s ban on six foreign countries considered to be hostile to the United States from purchasing agricultural land here is moving quickly to Gov. Kristi Noem’s desk.

But House Bill 1231 received its first votes of opposition in this year’s Legislative Session Tuesday when it reached the House floor. A contingent of GOP lawmakers forced a conversation about going even further.

NEWS: For some pipeline opponents, there is no middle ground

Rep. Scott Odenbach of Spearfish proposed an amendment to the bill which would have, he argued, provided included leases and easements on the list of government interactions that would be prohibited under the proposed law. The current bill explicitly states that foreign entities have no prohibitions on the number of easements they can pursue, and it does not prevent them from leasing farmland.

“I sincerely do want to protect our ag lands from foreign influence,” Odenbach said. “I think it is important when we consider a bill that amends or deletes existing statute, that we first look at what is being amended or deleted.”

NEWS: Former House lawmaker appointed to same chamber

NEWS: South Dakota Supreme Court answers legislative conflicts question, loosens decades of restrictions