Bill > HB1325

This bill establishes a farmland preservation fund in Tennessee to support the conservation of agricultural and forest lands while maintaining farmers' and landowners' rights to use their property. The fund will be administered by the Department of Agriculture and will include a grant program for conservation easements, which are legal agreements that permanently limit land development to protect its agricultural or natural value. Specifically, the bill allows grants to be awarded to qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations or directly to farmers and forest landowners who enter into conservation easements. These easements must allow continued agricultural and forestry activities and can only be modified or accessed with the landowner's consent. The fund will be financed through annual state appropriations, and any unspent money will carry forward from year to year. The bill emphasizes the state's intent to preserve farmland and forestland to secure economic, environmental, and societal benefits for future generations. Governmental entities are explicitly excluded from participating in the grant program, and the Commissioner of Agriculture is authorized to establish detailed rules for implementing the program. The bill will take effect on July 1, 2025, with rules being developed immediately upon the law's passage.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance, Government Affairs

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB1325&ga=114