Missouri Republican State Sen. Bill Eigel plans to unveil a proposed constitutional amendment that would force foreign landowners to sell off their property and require current foreign landowners to divest within two years.
The plan to be submitted by Eigel, who's running for Missouri governor, mirrors similar measures in Arkansas and South Dakota. Eigel's proposal would claw back more than 312,000 acres of Missouri soil that was allowed to be purchased by foreign interests in 2013, including 42,000 to Chinese interests.
"Missouri farmland should be owned by Missourians, or at least Americans," Eigel said in a press release shared with Newsmax. "I am the only candidate for Governor calling for a complete ban on foreign ownership of Missouri ground and a plan to get back what has been taken."
It mirrors a petition run by Eigel.
Arkansas last week ordered a Chinese subsidiary to divest 160 acres of agricultural land. South Dakota GOP Gov. Kristi Noem was also forging ahead on a bill to prevent Chinese interests from purchasing land there, too.
Eigel said he plans to file the legislation on Dec. 1.
"I envision a bold, conservative Missouri that isn't owned by foreign countries or entities — not China, not the World Economic Forum, not Qatar. It's a Missouri that is owned by the everyday, hardworking Missourians that love our land and have been cultivating it for generations in the Show-Me State," Eigel stated.
Mark Swanson ✉
Mark Swanson, a Newsmax writer and editor, has nearly three decades of experience covering news, culture and politics.
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