The following provisions apply to the ownership or leasing of agricultural land in this state:

1. (1) A prohibited entity may not own agricultural land in this state;

2. (2) A prohibited entity may not lease or hold an easement on agricultural land in this state, unless:

   1. (a) The lease is exclusively for agricultural research purposes and encumbers no more than three hundred and twenty acres; or
   2. (b) The lease is exclusively for contract feeding of livestock, at an animal feeding operation, by a family farm unit, a family farm corporation, or an authorized farm corporation;
3. (3) Excluding a prohibited entity, a foreign entity, foreign government, or foreign person may not own more than one hundred and sixty acres of agricultural land in this state, provided this limitation does not include agricultural land held as security for indebtedness; and
4. (4) Excluding a prohibited entity, there is no restriction on easements or the number of acres of agricultural land that a foreign entity, foreign government, or foreign person may lease. This section does not apply to a foreign entity, foreign government, or foreign person whose right to hold land is secured by treaty.

Source: SL 1979, ch 291 , § 1; SL 2024, ch 176 , § 3; SL 2026, ch 176 , § 1.