by: Tori Gessner
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) —
“Tennessee’s new Farmland Preservation Act, which passed earlier this year, is an effort to save what farmland the state has left. However, some farmers and advocates describe it as only a “first step” in addressing a serious, growing issue.
According to the state, Tennessee lost 1.7 million acres of farmland from 1997 to 2017, which is the second most in the country to Texas.”
“Kristina Villa, farmer and co-executive director of the Farmers Land Trust told News 2 the biggest challenge the next generation of farmers currently face is acquiring land in the first place. While establishing conservation easements does help bring the cost of land down, it’s still not enough for young farmers to afford, Villa said.”
