The Farmland for Farmers Act of 2026 restricts who can own agricultural land in the United States by limiting ownership to individual farmers and small legal entities of no more than 25 people who are actively engaged in farming operations, while explicitly prohibiting ownership by pension funds, investment firms, and real estate investment trusts. The bill defines "actively engaged in farming" to require hands-on management or physical work, excluding passive investors who simply provide capital. Enforcement is carried out through a system requiring entities to certify their compliance under penalty of perjury when buying farmland, annually with tax filings, and when seeking USDA or Farm Credit System programs, with the Secretary of Agriculture reporting violations to Congress each year. The legislation also grants states authority to adopt their own farmland ownership restrictions that match or exceed the federal standards, allowing them to impose even stricter rules if they choose. This bill aims to prevent large institutional investors from controlling agricultural land and to preserve farmland ownership for working farmers.
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