Fact check: Which Chinese companies have the largest holdings of US farmland in 2025?

1. Summary of the results

Based on the analyses provided, Chinese companies hold approximately 277,336 acres of US farmland as of 2023, representing less than 1% of all foreign-owned agricultural land ^{[1] [2]}. The largest Chinese holders of US farmland are:

• Murphy Brown LLC (Smithfield Foods) - 89,218 acres ^{[3] [2]}
• Brazos Highland Properties LP - 86,994 acres ^{[3] [2]}
• Murphy Brown of Missouri (Smithfield/WH Holdings) - 43,091 acres ^[3]
• Harvest Texas LLC - 29,705 acres ^[3]
• U.S. Agri Chemicals Corp - 11,263 acres ^[3]

These five companies account for 94% of all Chinese land holdings in the United States ^[3]. The holdings are concentrated primarily in Texas, North Carolina, Missouri, Utah, and Florida ^[2]. One source reports slightly different figures, with Brazos Highland owning 102,345 acres and Smithfield owning 97,975 acres ^[4], while another mentions total Chinese land ownership of around 383,934 acres including non-agricultural land ^[5].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks important context about the national security concerns driving current policy discussions. The USDA has implemented a National Farm Security Action Plan specifically targeting Chinese farmland ownership due to concerns about foreign adversaries controlling agricultural resources ^[2]. These concerns are particularly acute regarding land near strategic military installations and US bases ^[1].

Smithfield Foods, the largest Chinese-owned agricultural entity, was acquired by WH Group (formerly Shuanghui International) in 2013 for $4.7 billion, making it the largest Chinese acquisition of a US company at that time. The company benefits from maintaining its US operations while providing access to American agricultural markets and technology for its Chinese parent company.

The Trump Administration has unveiled plans to ban Chinese ownership of US farmland, which would directly impact these existing holdings ^[3]. This represents a significant policy shift that could force divestiture of current Chinese agricultural investments.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it simply asks for factual information about Chinese farmland holdings in 2025. However, the question may inadvertently perpetuate concerns about the scale of Chinese agricultural land ownership, when the data shows Chinese holdings represent less than 1% of foreign-owned farmland ^[1].

The timing of the question is relevant, as it comes during a period of heightened scrutiny and policy action against Chinese agricultural investments. Some sources emphasize the national security implications of these holdings ^{[1] [2]}, while others focus on the relatively small percentage of total foreign ownership ^[1]. This framing difference could influence public perception of whether Chinese farmland ownership represents a significant threat or a manageable policy issue.