Amends TCA Title 4; Title 11, Chapter 4; Title 43; Title 44; Title 49 and Title 67.

This bill creates a farm and forestry task force composed of farmers and foresters to develop and implement a strategic plan to position this state as a leading hub for agtech and value-added agriculture. The task force will be managed through the department of agriculture, in collaboration with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, the Center for Profitable Agriculture, and AgLaunch Initiative. <br /> <br /> The task force will consist of nine members. Six members will be full-time farmers or foresters who derive their primary income from crop, forestry, or livestock production, or directly related farming activities such as agritourism, on-farm education, or farmer-owned value-added activities. The task force must have three residents of this state with controlling interest in agricultural businesses that are engaged in local processing or agricultural-related innovation. The members of the task force must represent diverse segments of the agriculture industry, including crops, livestock, local food, and urban agriculture. <br /> <br /> Under this bill, the speaker of the senate will appoint one member from the eastern grand division with controlling interest in an agricultural business. The speaker of the house of representatives will appoint one member from the middle grand division with controlling interest in an agricultural business. The commissioner of agriculture will appoint seven members, with one member being from the western grand division and having controlling interest in an agricultural business. The commissioner will consult with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, the Center for Profitable Agriculture, and AgLaunch initiative when making appointments. <br /> <br /> This bill sets out in detail the duties of the task force, which includes creating a scope of work and issuing a request for proposals for a third-party consulting firm to develop a statewide strategy for agricultural innovation and entrepreneurship led by the farming community, with input from the state's universities, commodity organizations, companies, and other stakeholders.<br /> <br /> The commissioner will call the first meeting of the task force, which must conduct at least three regular scheduled meetings to hear testimony from members of the public and to solicit input from persons with expertise in agriculture and agtech. The members of the task force will serve without compensation.<br /> <br /> The task force must submit a report of its findings and recommendations to the general assembly no later than August 31, 2022, including an implementation plan and recommended legislative action. This bill is scheduled to be repealed on September 1, 2022, or upon submission of the report from the task force, whichever occurs first.<br />