AN ACT to amend Tennessee Code Annotated, Title 43, relative to century farms.
Summary
HB0901 creates the “Tennessee Century Farms Act” and directs the Department of Agriculture to establish a program recognizing farms that have remained in the same founding family for at least 100 years. To qualify, a century farm must include at least 10 acres of the original farm, generate at least $1,000 in annual revenue, remain continuously in the founder’s family for a century, and be owned in whole or in part by at least one Tennessee resident.
The bill also requires the commissioner of agriculture to set qualification criteria, designate a historic preservation center to administer the program, and provide a free commemorative sign to eligible farm owners. Additional signs may be issued for each additional 50 years of continuous operation, and owners may purchase extra signs at a commissioner-set cost. The designated preservation center must maintain a database, serve as a clearinghouse for information, and promote public awareness of century farms and their role in Tennessee agriculture.
Impact
The bill adds a new section to Tennessee Code Annotated Title 43, Chapter 25, creating a state-recognized century farms program and assigning administrative duties to the Department of Agriculture and a designated historic preservation center. It does not create a direct regulatory or tax burden, but it does establish eligibility standards, a public registry/database, and a commemorative sign program that affects qualifying farm owners and state agencies involved in agriculture and historic preservation.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have broad support and little opposition. It advanced unanimously through the House Agriculture and Natural Resources Subcommittee and Committee, passed the House floor overwhelmingly, and was adopted in the Senate without dissent. The voting record suggests the measure was viewed as a noncontroversial recognition bill that celebrates agricultural heritage rather than a policy change with significant fiscal or regulatory consequences.
Contention
There is little visible contention in the available record. Any potential points of discussion likely centered on the eligibility criteria for century farms, the requirement that the program operate within existing departmental resources, and the choice of a historic preservation center to administer the program. However, the recorded votes show no substantive opposition, indicating that these issues did not generate significant disagreement among lawmakers.