County Report · South Dakota · USDA AFIDA FY2024
Foreign-Owned Farmland in Hughes County, South Dakota
Reported foreign-held agricultural land interests in Hughes County, aggregated from 52 USDA disclosure filings. 2 distinct owners across 52 distinct parcels.
Top holder countries
| Country | Reported acres | Share of county |
|---|
| France | 23,844 ac | 98.5% |
| Canada | 373 ac | 1.5% |
Largest reported owners
| Owner (AFIDA display name) | Country | Reported acres |
|---|
| North Bend Wind Project LLC | France | 23,844 ac |
| JAYA RESOURCES INC. | Canada | 373 ac |
Showing top 5 of 2 owners. The full top-10 with per-owner purchase, estimated, and current values is in the Citizen Report.
Land use
| Use | Acres | Share |
|---|
| Pasture | 23,844 ac | 98.5% |
| Cropland | 292 ac | 1.2% |
| Other non-ag | 81 ac | 0.3% |
Acquisition timeline
Reported acquisition years in Hughes County span 1976–2023, with the heaviest acquisition activity in the 2020s. 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 Hughes County is foreign-owned?
- USDA AFIDA filings report 24,217 acres of agricultural land in Hughes County, South Dakota held by foreign persons or entities, across 52 disclosure records and 2 distinct owners (FY2024 data).
- Which countries own farmland in Hughes County?
- The largest reported holder countries are France (23,844 acres), Canada (373 acres).
- Are there Chinese-linked holdings in Hughes County?
- 51 disclosure records in Hughes 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 Hughes County?
- The top reported owners by acreage include North Bend Wind Project LLC (23,844 acres). The full top-10 owner list with per-owner values is in the Hughes 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.