[Objective] The newly cultivated land classification and the factors influencing grain production capacity in the arid loess tableland area were analyzed in order to provide a theoretical basis for farmland protection and food security improvement in this area. [Methods] Taking the three “balance of farmland occupation and compensation” projects between 2015—2017 in Jingtai County in Central Gansu Province of Loess Plateau as an example

7 agricultural land classification factors of newly cultivated land were selected to calculate the quality grades of newly cultivated land and grain production capacity. At the same time

the soil physical and chemical properties of newly cultivated land were analyzed

and a logistic regression model was used to analyze the impact of various factors on food production capacity from the factors influencing the quality of newly cultivated land. [Results] The implementation of land occupation-compensation balance project in Jingtai County increased the quality grades of newly cultivated land by 1 to 2 grades. There was a significant positive correlation between the grain production capacity and the average grade of newly cultivated land. Irrigated land accounted for 91.84% of the total newly cultivated land with a total grain production capacity of 93.36%. When the age of new cultivated land was 3 years

the soil structure destruction rate was reduced by 2.05%

compared with that of 1 year

soil erosion resistance was significantly improved

and soil total nitrogen

organic matter

and available potassium increased by 10.67%

15.39%

and 13.62%

respectively. After planting for 3 to 5 years

the production capacity per unit area of 5 a cultivation

4 a cultivation and 3 a cultivation projects was increased by 15.69%

9.80% and 3.92%

respectively

compared with the unimplemented grain production capacity. [Conclusion] The impact of 5 factors on the grain production capacity of newly cultivated land is as follows: the levels of newly cultivated land> infrastructure in newly cultivated land> newly cultivated land area > investment in newly cultivated land unit area > years of newly cultivated land. Therefore

the focus of increasing the grain production capacity of newly-added cultivated land should be put on increasing the quality grade of cultivated land.