Agriculture, Dept. of - As enacted, establishes a fund for the development and implementation of programs that benefit Tennesseans by preserving farmland and forestland, including a grant program for conservation easements. - Amends TCA Title 43, Chapter 1, Part 1.

HB 1325 establishes Tennessee's Farmland Preservation Fund to support conservation easements on farmland and forestland. The bill creates a dedicated fund within the state general fund (administered by the Department of Agriculture) that provides grants for landowners to place permanent conservation easements on their property, held by qualified 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. Key provisions require land to remain in agricultural or forestry use, prohibit selling or transferring easements acquired through the grant, and mandate unspent funds carry forward annually. This directly affects Tennessee landowners seeking to preserve their property through conservation agreements and qualified nonprofit easement holders. The policy change formalizes a grant program to secure long-term land preservation without restricting farming or forestry activities.