WASHINGTON D.C. (KAMR/KCIT) — Officials with the office of U.S. Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas District 13 recently released information about a bill reintroduced by Jackson, along with U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger, D-Virginia and Vicente Gonzalez, D-Texas District 34, surrounding agriculture and the potential of foreign interference.

According to a news release from Jackson’s office, Jackson, Spanberger and Gonzalez reintroduced the Foreign Adversary Risk Management, or FARM, act, a bill that Jackson touted as bipartisan and bicameral. U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama introduced companion legislation in the U.S. Senate.

The release said the bill would “help protect America’s agricultural industry from malign foreign investors and bolster our supply chain by reforming the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.” The committee is the governmental body that oversees the vetting of foreign investment and acquisition of American companies.

Jackson said in the release that the United States faces a number of threats to national security, including threats to the agricultural industry. He believes this bill would have an impact on identifying the threats.

“Our national security is dependent on our food security, and we must take significant steps to identify adversaries that are manipulating critical facets of food production in our country,” Jackson said in the release. “America’s agricultural industry must be considered when determining national security threats from foreign investments moving forward. The protection of our food supply and its overarching supply chains are essential for the continued prosperity of our nation. Together, we will ensure that America’s agricultural industry remains strong and independent from foreign adverse influence.”

According to Jackson’s office, the bill aims at reforming the committee by ensuring that it recognizes the agriculture industry, as well as agriculture supply chains, as critical infrastructure. It would also add the Secretary of Agriculture to the committee and require the committee to “review any investment that could result in foreign control fo any U.S. agricultural business.”

“Texas Farm Bureau (applauds Sen. Tommy Tuberville and U.S. Congressmen Ronny Jackson for introducing the FARM Act,” Texas Farm Bureau President Russell Boening said in the release. “As Texas has experienced a surge of foreign investors buying agricultural land, it is critical to provide proper oversight to ensure our national security. We are pleased this bill accomplishes this goal, while in-turn protecting private property rights of landowners who wish to sell their property. TFB appreciates these Congressional leaders for their steadfast leadership on this issue, and we look forward to working with them to secure passage of this bipartisan legislation.”