Largest Landowners

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Largest Landowners In USA: Other than the US Gov and tribal Agreements, The Winner Is Canada.

Largest Landowners In USA: Foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land is significant, with roughly 40 million acres owned by foreign entities, accounting for about 3% of all U.S. farmland. Foreign government ownership specifically remains limited, as most acquisitions are by private companies and investors rather than state-owned entities.

Canada leads foreign ownership, holding around 32% of foreign-owned agricultural land, mainly for timber investments. European countries like the Netherlands, Italy, and the UK follow, owning substantial tracts. Chinese ownership, while more restricted in recent years due to policy concerns, accounts for a smaller portion, with around 350,000 acres primarily held by companies such as Smithfield Foods (acquired by a Chinese firm in 2013). This ownership has sparked concerns about national security, leading several states to introduce legislation restricting certain foreign purchases, especially near critical infrastructure and military installations.

In response to this trend, some U.S. states and federal lawmakers have proposed additional restrictions on foreign ownership, particularly targeting Chinese and other adversarial countries to safeguard agricultural land and related industries. While no federal restrictions are currently in place, proposed legislation and state laws are expanding oversight of such purchases.

Largest Landowners Of Private Land In USA

The top 100 private landowners in the United States hold a vast amount of property, controlling an estimated 40 million acres combined, or about 2% of U.S. land. Some prominent landholders include:

  1. John Malone – The chairman of Liberty Media owns 2.2 million acres across several states, focusing mainly on ranch and timberland.
  2. Ted Turner – Media mogul and founder of CNN, Turner owns approximately 2 million acres, largely dedicated to conservation and sustainable ranching.
  3. Emmerson Family – Through Sierra Pacific Industries, the Emmerson family manages 2.3 million acres of timberland, primarily in California.
  4. Stan Kroenke – Known for his sports holdings, Kroenke owns nearly 1.4 million acres across the West, largely in ranch properties.

Foreign ownership of U.S. land, in contrast, stands around 40 million acres, or 3% of U.S. agricultural land, and is spread among countries with significant investments, such as Canada, the Netherlands, and China.

Foreign Land Owners

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Top Private Landowners

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Canada Land Rights

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Wikipedia: Federal Land

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Does The US Government Own Any Land In Canada.

The U.S. government does not hold ownership of land in Canada. Canada’s land is largely owned by the federal and provincial governments as “Crown land,” a system where the government, not private individuals, retains ultimate ownership of land. Approximately 89% of Canada’s land is designated as Crown land, with around 41% controlled by the federal government and 48% by provincial authorities. Only about 11% of land in Canada is privately held, which is in stark contrast to the land ownership model in the U.S., where private land ownership is common.

There are, however, instances of foreign investments in Canadian property by private individuals and companies from various countries, including the U.S., but these do not constitute governmental ownership.

Does.The US Own Foreign Property.

The U.S. government does not own significant land in foreign countries as a direct form of property ownership but may hold land through embassies, consulates, and military bases abroad, which are governed by special agreements with host countries. These properties are typically leased or held in trust rather than directly purchased. For instance, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) manages installations on foreign soil but does not own these areas outright; instead, they operate under Status of Forces Agreements (SOFAs), which are negotiated with host nations.

In contrast, foreign entities collectively own around 40 million acres of U.S. agricultural and forest land, which represents roughly 3% of U.S. farmland. Countries with significant holdings in the U.S. include Canada, the Netherlands, Italy, and the United Kingdom, with Canada being the largest foreign owner of U.S. land at approximately 14.2 million acres. Other countries, like China, own a relatively smaller share, estimated at around 383,000 acres in 2023

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