HB1325/SB0207, is raising serious concerns among grassroots conservatives and property rights advocates. Sponsored by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin), the bill would establish a Farmland Preservation Fund, allowing landowners to voluntarily place their farmland or forestland into permanent conservation easements in exchange for taxpayer-funded grants.
At first glance, this may seem like a noble effort to protect Tennessee’s agricultural heritage. But upon closer examination, the legislation appears to align more closely with the Biden administration’s radical 30x30 Agenda than with the principles of limited government and private property rights.
What’s Really in This Bill?
Under this bill, Tennessee taxpayer dollars would be used to fund nonprofit organizations—including global environmental groups like The Nature Conservancy—to purchase conservation easements. These easements, once in place, last forever and significantly restrict how the land can be used, even by future generations.
