Tennessee Legislative Committees Advance Bills to Maintain Farmers’ Access to Critical Crop Protection Tools
Today, Tennessee lawmakers in the Senate Energy, Agriculture, and Natural Resources Committee and the House Agriculture Subcommittee stood with farmers in a strong vote to advance Senate Bill 527 and House Bill 809. This critical legislation protects the tools farmers rely on to produce an abundant food supply from being litigated away by a barrage of meritless lawsuits.
"We thank Tennessee lawmakers for standing with our farmers, over the litigation industry, to protect farmers' access to essential tools—something 80% of Tennesseans support, including 98% of farmers," said Modern Ag Alliance Executive Director Elizabeth Burns-Thompson. “This legislation will provide farmers with much-needed certainty to continue producing the safe, affordable food that feeds families across the country."
SB 527 and HB 809 ensure consistency in product labeling standards by affirming that federally approved labels are the law. Contrary to critics' falsehoods, this legislation is not a blanket immunity shield—claims unrelated to the label would not be affected. Tennessee also maintains the authority to regulate the sale and use of any pesticide within its borders.
This legislation is supported by prominent Tennessee agricultural and producer organizations, including Tennessee Farm Bureau, Tennessee Soybean Association, and the Southern Crop Production Association.
Crop protection tools help farmers control invasive weeds, which keeps yields high and input costs low while allowing them to implement conservation practices. Tennessee farmers rely on these products to reliably grow crops, like soybeans, corn, and cotton, vital crops that support the state's $5 billion agricultural economy. These tools also help keep food prices down—a priority for Tennesseans. Our recent Ag Insights Survey found that 90% of farmers and 74% of all Tennesseans are deeply concerned that litigation against crop protection manufacturers will lower crop yields, leading to higher food prices for consumers during a time of record inflation.
“The Modern Ag Alliance thanks Senator John Stevens, Representative Rusty Grills, and the bill's cosponsors for their steadfast leadership and commitment to Tennessee farmers,” added Burns-Thompson. “We look forward to continuing to work with lawmakers in the coming weeks to ensure that crop protection products remain available to Tennessee farmers.”
About The Modern Ag Alliance
The Modern Ag Alliance is a diverse coalition of agricultural stakeholders advocating for U.S. farmers’ access to the crop protection tools they need to ensure we have a robust and affordable domestic food supply. To learn more, visit modernagalliance.org.