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Liberty High student warns of rising foreign ownership of U.S. farmland
Summary
A Liberty High senior argued that tens of millions of acres of U.S. farmland are owned by nonresidents and urged policy changes to preserve American ownership and economic benefits for local communities.
Gus Zukstorf, a senior at Liberty High School, used a prepared public speech to highlight foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land and to argue for policy responses.
Zukstorf opened with a large figure: “44927453 — this is the number of acres of land in The United States that is owned by foreigners,” and said those acres represent a sizeable share of agricultural land and economic value. He cited AFIDA (the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act) reporting as the data source and described potential local economic effects, including lower local spending and higher property and rental rates in areas with elevated foreign ownership.
He warned that some foreign purchases are tied to energy‑related conversions and pointed to state examples where lawmakers limited or banned certain purchases. Zukstorf urged community members to contact representatives and consider state policy options, including tax disincentives or stricter ownership limits.
The board and audience asked follow‑up questions about whether AFIDA reports identify proximity to military bases and about local acreages; Zukstorf said county‑level AFIDA data is published but precise parcel locations are not readily available in his sources.
The presentation was framed as an educational speech for FFA competition; Zukstorf encouraged civic engagement and legislative contact if community members are concerned about farmland ownership patterns.
