County Report · California · USDA AFIDA FY2024
Foreign-Owned Farmland in Kern County, California
Reported foreign-held agricultural land interests in Kern County, aggregated from 358 USDA disclosure filings. 144 distinct owners across 358 distinct parcels.
Netherlands
TOP HOLDER COUNTRY
Top holder countries
| Country | Reported acres | Share of county |
|---|
| Netherlands | 46,767 ac | 24.7% |
| Canada | 39,333 ac | 20.8% |
| Germany | 22,302 ac | 11.8% |
| France | 20,217 ac | 10.7% |
| United Kingdom | 19,255 ac | 10.2% |
Largest reported owners
| Owner (AFIDA display name) | Country | Reported acres |
|---|
| AERA ENERGY L.L.C. | Netherlands | 36,976 ac |
| Grimmway Enterprises, Inc | Canada | 20,512 ac |
| EDF Renewable Development Corp. FKA enXco Development Corp. | France | 15,326 ac |
| BLACKWELL LAND CO., INC. | United Kingdom | 11,553 ac |
| LEHIGH CEMENT CO LLC | Germany | 8,450 ac |
Showing top 5 of 144 owners. The full top-10 with per-owner purchase, estimated, and current values is in the Citizen Report.
Land use
| Use | Acres | Share |
|---|
| Cropland | 105,388 ac | 55.6% |
| Pasture | 62,534 ac | 33.0% |
| Other agriculture | 14,812 ac | 7.8% |
| Other non-ag | 6,784 ac | 3.6% |
Acquisition timeline
Reported acquisition years in Kern County span 1955–2024, with the heaviest acquisition activity in the 2000s. AFIDA is a cumulative register of currently held interests, not just new purchases.
Reading this data correctly. These are reported ownership interests under a federal disclosure law. A reported interest is not an allegation of wrongdoing, and geographic facts here imply no motive. USDA acknowledges the underlying data is self-reported and incomplete.
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Frequently asked questions
- How much farmland in Kern County is foreign-owned?
- USDA AFIDA filings report 189,518 acres of agricultural land in Kern County, California held by foreign persons or entities, across 358 disclosure records and 144 distinct owners (FY2024 data).
- Which countries own farmland in Kern County?
- The largest reported holder countries are Netherlands (46,767 acres), Canada (39,333 acres), Germany (22,302 acres).
- Are there Chinese-linked holdings in Kern County?
- 15 disclosure records in Kern County carry a secondary-interest flag for China. These are reported interests in the USDA data, not findings of wrongdoing.
- Who are the largest foreign landowners in Kern County?
- The top reported owners by acreage include AERA ENERGY L.L.C. (36,976 acres). The full top-10 owner list with per-owner values is in the Kern County Citizen Report.
- Where does this data come from?
- The Agricultural Foreign Investment Disclosure Act of 1978 requires foreign persons holding U.S. agricultural land interests to report them to USDA. Figures here are aggregated from USDA FSA AFIDA FY2024 disclosure filings — reported interests, not allegations.