Australia

It has been reported that the state-owned China Investment Corporation and New Zealand dairy giant Fonterra are negotiating to buy Tasmanian dairy farm Van Diemen's Land under a proposed $200 million deal.

A move by the Indonesian government to buy one million hectares of land for beef production in Australia for its own local market has reignited the foreign ownership debate.

Indonesia has moved to solve its beef supply problems by approving a plan to buy one million hectares of Australian farmland, a plot four times the size of the Australian Capital Territory.

Indonesia's announcement yesterday that it plans to buy a million hectares of Australian agricultural land to raise beef cattle is the clearest signal yet that it wants to lower its dependence on the current live export system.

Australia's PM says he favours a joint venture approach to farmland investment, comprising equity from farmers, perhaps through co-operatives, with domestic or some external investment.

Australia's Murray Goulburn Co-operative says it plans to bypass traditional bank lending by forging alliances with international investors to support dairy farms.

The ABC's Vote Compass has revealed that three-quarters of Australians want more restrictions on foreign ownership of agricultural land.

The Australian Greens Greens say the government should be cracking down on foreign investors buying up Australian farms to protect not only the economy but also long-term food security.

Kevin Rudd has committed to double the amount of land for farming in northern Australia and simplify investment rules for foreign investors, to take advantage of the boom in Asian demand for produce

Middle Eastern investors are trying to buy up prime farming land on South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula. Some farmers who have been offered millions of dollars said they won’t leave at any cost.

China's biggest state-owned agricultural conglomerate has bought farmland and port facilities in Western Australia and the move has sharply divided responses.

Chinese meat firms are looking abroad to scout for potential acquisition targets among beef farmers and processors.