Foreign Entities Hold 47.2 Million Acres of U.S. Land, Primarily Timber and Wind Leases
Foreign investors reported holding 47.2 million acres of U.S. land by the end of 2024, according to USDA data. This figure includes both owned land and leases of 10 years or more, with 46.3 million acres classified as agricultural land, representing 3.6% of all privately held farmland. Canada and European countries account for the majority of these holdings, with Canada holding 33.7% and Europe 47.1%. China's holdings are significantly smaller, at 0.5% of the total, and have decreased by about a third since their peak in 2021. The largest portion of foreign-held land, 47% or 22.2 million acres, is forest, primarily timberland. Wind energy leases constitute the next largest segment, accounting for 10.6 million acres, with most of this being leased land where farming continues under existing operators. Texas holds the most foreign-held land at 5.9 million acres, followed by Maine, Colorado, Alabama, and Oklahoma.
