Virginia Moves to Ban China From Buying Farmland

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, here speaking in Smithfield, Va., in October 2022, is not on the commonwealth's 2023 ballot but his lobbying for a 15-week abortion ban puts him and abortion on voters' minds as they go to the polls in November in what is beiung called "the first election of 2024." Alex Wong/Getty Images

Virginia will ban foreign adversaries, including China, from buying agricultural land in the commonwealth after legislators in the House of Delegates and Senate recently approved versions of the proposal and sent the measure to Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin for his expected signature. The ban would be retroactively effective from Jan. 1.

Prohibiting China from buying farmland in Virginia tops Youngkin’s legislative agenda this year.