Lawmakers Question FFA’s Relationship With Syngenta And ChemChina

Is the National FFA Organization an Un-American Group?

That question is now being asked in Congress. The House Ways and Means Committee and the Congressional FFA Caucus have opened a formal inquiry into the National FFA Organization — not because the group has been accused of wrongdoing, but to examine its ties to a major agribusiness company with foreign ownership.

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What’s Sparked This Inquiry?

At the center of the debate is Syngenta AG, a global producer of herbicides, pesticides and seed corn that plays a substantial role in U.S. agriculture. Syngenta was formed in 2000 through the merger of Novartis Agribusiness and AstraZeneca Agrochemicals.

In 2012, the company was acquired for $43 billion by ChemChina, a Chinese state-owned enterprise. Syngenta now holds roughly 12% of the U.S. crop protection market, and alongside other large firms controls a large share of the corn and soybean seed market.

ChemChina was previously designated as a Communist Chinese Military Company under the Trump administration — a label that can limit access to U.S. government funding and is intended to signal ties to China’s military-civil structure. That designation was later removed under the Biden administration.

Lawmakers say a Chinese-owned company having access to American agriculture youth programs raises questions about influence over future farmers.

Why the Foreign Ownership Angle Matters

This FFA inquiry fits into a broader national focus on foreign ownership of U.S. agricultural land and assets. Over the last decade, ownership of American farmland by non-U.S. individuals and companies has steadily grown — and Congress and state governments are increasingly debating whether that trend poses a national security or economic risk.

•  According to USDA data, investors from outside the United States owned about 46 million acres of U.S. farmland — roughly 3.6% of all agricultural land — as of 2023. Much of that land is owned by Canadian and European interests, but foreign holdings overall have risen over time.
• Investments tied to China and other countries the U.S. considers geopolitical competitors have attracted particular attention, even though they represent a small share of total foreign ownership. In 2023, Chinese investors were linked to about 0.03% of all U.S. agricultural acreage, according to federal data — and holdings have declined in recent years.
• USDA and lawmakers are pushing new tools to track foreign farmland ownership more precisely, including an online portal for reporting transactions involving foreign entities and expanded enforcement of reporting requirements under the Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act (AFIDA).

This issue has moved beyond academic concern: the USDA has proposed actions to curb purchases of U.S. farmland by investors from countries deemed potential adversaries, and state legislators in multiple states have considered or enacted restrictions on foreign land ownership citing national security implications.

What Congress Is Asking FFA to Explain

In their letter, lawmakers have requested that the National FFA Organization provide:

• Copies of contracts and financial agreements with Syngenta
• Details about any Syngenta employees in leadership or advisory roles within FFA
• Explanations of Syngenta’s involvement in shaping FFA strategic programs and diversity initiatives

The aim is to understand the extent of the relationship — and whether it could influence the organization’s direction or priorities as it trains future agricultural leaders.

Where Things Stand Now

National FFA CEO Scott Stump has received the congressional inquiry but has not issued a public comment in response. The inquiry does not formally accuse the organization of un-American conduct — but it does reflect growing congressional scrutiny of foreign investment and influence in American agriculture and how private industry partners engage with youth and educational programs.