Bill > SB1645

This bill establishes the "Tennessee Agricultural Innovation and Education Initiative" to support and advance agriculture in the state. The initiative, administered by the Department of Agriculture, aims to promote statewide agricultural education and outreach, improve access to digital learning resources for the agricultural workforce, boost market opportunities for farmers and businesses, foster collaborations for future agricultural leaders, and position Tennessee as a leader in agricultural technology and innovation. The Department is authorized to partner with private, nonprofit, or academic entities to operate parts of the initiative, with specific criteria for selecting these partners, prioritizing those with experience in agriculture-focused digital platforms, statewide educational programming, and existing partnerships within Tennessee. Importantly, the bill clarifies that intellectual property and creative content developed by these partners will remain their own, and the state will not claim ownership or editorial control over such content, except to ensure it aligns with the initiative's goals and legal requirements. The initiative will prioritize benefits for Tennessee farmers, students, workforce participants, consumers, and communities, while allowing for regional collaboration when it enhances opportunities for the state. Program activities may include developing educational content, workforce training, digital tools for agricultural literacy, e-commerce support for producers, youth engagement, marketing of state-grown products, and technical assistance for rural communities. An independent annual evaluation will assess the initiative's impact, and contracted partners will submit performance reports. The bill expresses legislative intent for a recurring annual appropriation of $2,000,000 to fund these activities, with encouragement for matching contributions from other sources.

Agriculture and Natural Resources, Budget and Finance

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=SB1645&ga=114