US, states weigh farmland restrictions after Chinese balloon

By MATTHEW BROWN and SAM METZ
Associated Press

HARLOWTON, Mont. (AP) — As U.S.-China relations cool amid trade disputes and espionage fears stoked by the Chinese spy balloon shot down off the Atlantic Coast, lawmakers in Congress and at least 11 statehouses are weighing legislation to further limit foreign ownership of farmland. The proposals were introduced earlier this month out of concern for long-term food security and land potentially being used as a perch for spying, a claim getting even more attention after the spy balloon crossed over the U.S. The efforts reflect how worries about Chinese influence have expanded beyond Washington, D.C.