Bill > SB1645

This bill establishes the "Representative Johnny Shaw Tennessee Agricultural Innovation and Education Initiative," a program administered by the Department of Agriculture to support and advance agriculture in Tennessee. The initiative aims to promote statewide outreach and education about agriculture, expand digital access to agricultural learning resources, boost market opportunities for farmers and agricultural businesses, foster collaborations for the next generation of agricultural leaders, and solidify Tennessee's role as a leader in agricultural technology and innovation. To achieve these goals, the Department of Agriculture is authorized to partner with private, nonprofit, or academic entities, considering their experience in agriculture-focused digital platforms, statewide educational programming, partnerships with state agricultural stakeholders, audience engagement capabilities, support for diverse farmers, and experience managing public-private initiatives. Importantly, any intellectual property or creative materials developed by these partners will remain their exclusive property, with the state only ensuring alignment with the initiative's purposes. The initiative will prioritize benefits for Tennessee farmers, students, workforce participants, consumers, and communities, while allowing for regional collaborations that enhance these benefits. Program activities may include developing educational content, workforce training, digital literacy tools, e-commerce onboarding for producers, youth engagement, marketing of state-grown products, and technical assistance for rural communities. The initiative's effectiveness will be evaluated by the Comptroller of the Treasury after its third fiscal year, with subsequent biennial evaluations by the Department of Agriculture, and contracted partners will submit annual performance reports. The bill expresses legislative intent for a recurring annual appropriation of $1,000,000 to fund partner contracts, outreach, technology, administration, and evaluation, and encourages seeking matching funds from other sources. The Department of Agriculture is also granted authority to create rules to implement this initiative.