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Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 1705 bans foreign ownership of agricultural land and requires divestment by 2031
Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsors: Mazzie Christensen and 1 other
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What This Bill Would Do
Beginning August 28, 2026, aliens and foreign businesses are prohibited from acquiring agricultural land in Missouri, and any foreign businesses currently holding agricultural land must their interests before August 28, 2031.
Foreign businesses holding agricultural land must sell their properties for fair market value before the August 2031 deadline, while the Department of Agriculture must compile properties, notify owners by January 2027, and report non-compliance.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Aliens and foreign businesses
Foreign businesses and aliens are prohibited from acquiring new agricultural land in Missouri and must divest any currently held agricultural land interests before August 28, 2031.
Department of Agriculture
The Department of Agriculture must review land transfers, establish rules, compile a list of foreign-held agricultural land, notify owners, track divestitures, and report non-compliance.
Agents, trustees, or fiduciaries
Agents, trustees, and other fiduciaries are barred from holding agricultural land on behalf of an alien or foreign business in violation of the law.
Key Facts
- Beginning August 28, 2026, no alien or foreign business may acquire any agricultural land in Missouri.
- Foreign businesses that acquired agricultural land prior to August 28, 2026, are prohibited from transferring such land to other alien or foreign businesses on or after that date.
- No person may hold agricultural land as an agent, trustee, or other fiduciary for an alien or foreign business in violation of the law, though existing security interests are protected from being divested or invalidated.
- All proposed transfers of agricultural land interests held by any alien or foreign business on or after August 28, 2026, must be submitted to the Department of Agriculture for review.
Show all 8 facts
- Foreign businesses holding any interest in agricultural land must divest their interest before August 28, 2031.
- The Department of Agriculture is required to compile a list of agricultural land held by foreign businesses, notify each foreign business before January 1, 2027, of the divestment requirement, track the divestitures, and report any failures to divest on August 28, 2031.
- The divestment requirement does not force any foreign business to sell its agricultural land interest for less than fair market value.
- Foreign businesses holding land on the department's list will only be reported for a violation if they fail to divest and continue holding the interest on August 28, 2031.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the prohibition on acquiring agricultural land take effect?
What must foreign businesses that already own agricultural land in Missouri do?
What is the role of the Department of Agriculture under this bill?
What else do you want to know?
News Coverage
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
4 actions- May 15, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Emerging Issues(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 1, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
Transition from Percentage Cap to Total Prohibition
The bill replaces a previous one percent aggregate acreage ownership restriction with a complete prohibition on new foreign acquisitions and mandates the full divestment of existing foreign-held agricultural land by 2031.
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance80How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy75Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment10Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz50Current news / social attention level
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