PIERRE, S.D.(Press Release) – On Tuesday, Governor Kristi Noem announced her support for Congressman Mike Gallagher’s bill preventing the Chinese Communist Party and other nations that hate America from owning American agricultural land. She made this announcement in a letter to Congressman Gallagher, who is the Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party.

“I write to you out of mutual concern for the threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. I offer my support for H.R. 4577 and urge that it be added to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA),” Governor Noem wrote to Chairman Gallagher. “Food security is a matter of national security… We have seen China use fear and control to perpetuate their agenda for generations. If they successfully control our food supply, they will be able to control the United States.”

From 2010 to 2020, China’s holdings of American ag land increased by 5,300%. H.R. 4577 protects U.S. farmland from foreign adversaries by giving the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United State greater jurisdiction over land purchases tied to “foreign adversaries,” the same six countries that Governor Noem listed as “Evil Foreign Governments,” including Communist China.

“The states and Congress must work together to defend our nation from the Chinese Communist Party, especially given the lack of sufficient action from the Biden Administration,” continued Governor Noem. “This legislation is an important step in that effort – but getting it passed as part of the NDAA will be no small lift.”

Governor Noem ended the letter to Chairman Gallagher by offering to testify before the Select Committee in support of this legislation.