Thompson Introduces Legislation to Protect America's Farmland From Eminent Domain

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Last week, United States Representative Glenn “GT” Thompson (R-PA) introduced the Not In My Barnyard Act to protect American producers’ property rights. This legislation would prohibit the federal government from initiating eminent domain proceedings on any agricultural land when a feasible alternative site exists, ensuring the United States has enough productive farmland to feed and fuel the country.

“The loss of productive agricultural land when other viable sites exist directly threatens our nation’s food security and rural communities,” Rep. Thompson said. “The Not In My Barnyard Act protects America’s producers and ensures our working land is dedicated to feeding the country."

“In the rush to increase energy supplies we cannot afford to ignore one of the very few things in life that are absolutely necessary to sustain life; our food,” said Pennsylvania State Senator Cris Dush. “When farms that were started before this nation became a nation, and have been handed down generation to generation, are seized by government we do not only lose the ground from production but too often the generations of knowledge of how to produce the food that was grown there because the family cannot find equally suitable land upon which to apply their wisdom to continue to get that food to our table. Anyone who takes time to reflect on that will see the common sense of this bill.”
 

“We look forward to the introduction of Congressman Thompson’s Not In My Barnyard Act, which would increase protections for American farmers against seizure of their productive farmland through eminent domain when a non-agricultural alternative is available,” said Pennsylvania Farm Bureau President Tommy Nagle. “Keeping prime farmland in production agriculture is of the utmost importance to maintain our nation’s food security while keeping supply chains strong around the globe. We look forward to working with Congressman Thompson and the rest of our Congressional delegation to get this legislation signed into law.” 
 

Read the full bill text here.