There is a story behind this bill.
As lobbyists have been successfully moving HB1890 along in the House, the companion bill, SB2099 has been stalled in the Senate due to strong opposition from grassroots conservatives across the state. In fact, the bill was considered dead in the Senate due to the fact that the Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee was closed and had completed its final calendar.
But those lobbyists and pressure from bill sponsor Senator Jack Johnson have been successful in forcibly reopening the committee chaired by Senator Steve Southerland who is opposed to the bill. In fact, just hours after an email went out from a lobbying group putting pressure to reopen the committee, Sen. Southerland was rushed to the hospital from the Senate Floor due to a medical emergency.
This bill is scheduled to be heard Wednesday at 1:00PM in the Senate Energy, Ag., and Nat. Resources Committee.
If passed this bill gives the Department of Agriculture the ability to acquire and administer real estate interests in the state by way of an “agricultural easement,” also known as a conservation easement. A CE conveys to a third party, either a land trust or government entity, the right to control the use of the private property being encumbered for a “conservation purpose.” It is marketed as a way for landowners to ensure their property will remain in a natural state, protected from future development forever. They are told their current use of the land will continue, such as agricultural use. For this consideration, they are offered an income or estate tax deduction and other financial benefits.
We strongly oppose the creation of any such easement program in Tennessee which cedes control of the use of private property to the government in exchange for some perceived tax benefit.
Take action to OPPOSE SB 2099
Creates a program for agricultural easements paving the way for the Biden 30X30 Agenda.
OPPOSE Agriculture – As introduced, establishes a program to allow the department of agriculture to acquire and administer real estate interests in the state, including the administration of grants for the purpose of preserving farm and forestry land; creates the Farmland Preservation Fund to be used for the program; specifies provisions that must be included in an agricultural easement acquired through the program.
Want to know more about conservation easements? Watch this interview with Margaret Byfield.
Complex global issues dealing with central bank digital currency, conservation easements, school choice, UN Agenda 2030 policies, Biden 30×30 agenda policies, and a host of others are quickly and methodically finding their way through the Tennessee General Assembly.
One such bill is HB 1890 (William Lamberth) / SB 2099 (Jack Johnson) which is a move by Governor Bill Lee’s office to create an “agricultural easement” program under the TN Dept of Agriculture. The stated purpose is to help Tennessee small farmers preserve their farmland. However, national examples of these easement programs reveal that with tax subsidies comes the loss of private property rights when a farmer cedes the control of his land to the government.
Complex global issues dealing with central bank digital currency, conservation easements, school choice, UN Agenda 2030 policies, Biden 30×30 agenda policies, and a host of others are quickly and methodically finding their way through the Tennessee General Assembly.
One such bill is HB 1890 (William Lamberth) / SB 2099 (Jack Johnson) which is a move by Governor Bill Lee’s office to create an “agricultural easement” program under the TN Dept of Agriculture. The stated purpose is to help Tennessee small farmers preserve their farmland. However, national examples of these easement programs reveal that with tax subsidies comes the loss of private property rights when a farmer cedes the control of his land to the government.
