Protecting Indiana’s Farmland, Farmers, and Food Security

Indiana already has laws that prevent certain foreign adversaries from purchasing agricultural land near military installations. That is a start, but it does not go far enough. The truth is simple. Foreign ownership is only one part of the problem. Predatory practices can come from any foreign government, any international investment group, and also from the agricultural mega corporations that are buying up land, squeezing out family farms and controlling the entire food chain from seed to shelf.

Hoosiers deserve stronger protections. Our agricultural ground is not a speculative asset for global interests. It is our heritage, our economy, our food supply, and a pillar of our identity. Once we lose it, we do not get it back.

Expanding Land Protections for All Agricultural Ground

We should be honest about the current law. Indiana limits certain purchases from adversarial nations, but that leaves enormous gaps. Foreign ownership of farmland should not be allowed, period. Indiana farmland should belong to the people who live here and work here. Hoosier farmland should belong to Hoosier farmers, Hoosier families and Hoosier communities. Not to foreign governments. Not to overseas investors. Not to global real estate portfolios.

Our farmland is a strategic resource, and we need to treat it like one.

Protecting Farmers from Corporate Consolidation

Farmers today face a second threat that is just as serious. Mega corporations are consolidating power across the entire agricultural system. They pressure farmers into contracts that strip away independence. They force farmers to use seeds they cannot keep. They dictate prices. They control supply chains. And in some cases, they even claim ownership over the future crops that come from those seeds.

This is not free enterprise. It is corporate control of the food system, and it is driving small and mid-sized farms out of existence.

Indiana must protect the right of farmers to own their seeds, own their crops and own the land they work. When farmers lose ownership, rural communities begin to crumble.

Hoosier Farmers Feed Hoosier Families

Indiana produces enormous amounts of food, yet most of it leaves the state. At the same time, families here face rising grocery costs and unstable supply chains. We can build a stronger, more local food system where Indiana families are fed by Indiana farmers. A Hoosier Farmers Feed Hoosier Families initiative would strengthen farm-to-school programs, encourage local purchasing for hospitals and community institutions, and keep more food dollars circulating in Indiana communities.

This kind of local sourcing can reduce costs in meaningful ways. Shorter supply routes reduce transportation expenses. Fresher food means less waste. Fewer corporate middlemen mean more of each food dollar goes directly to farmers, which can also make prices more stable for families. It does not magically cut every price overnight, but it absolutely builds a more resilient and affordable food system over time.

When Hoosier farmers feed Hoosier families, everybody wins.

Why This Matters

Farmland is more than acreage. It is food security, economic security and community security. It is a foundation for rural life and a defining part of who we are as a state. If we allow foreign governments or mega corporations to control our farmland, we risk losing the independence and stability that built Indiana in the first place.

We must protect our land.
We must protect our farmers.
We must protect the right of Hoosiers to feed Hoosier families.

This is how we safeguard the future of Indiana, one field and one community at a time.