TN Alert - Protect Your Right to Grow and Obtain Food Manufacturers (HJR 0780 - House subcmte 3/11/26)

Tell House Subcommittee to Vote YES on HJR 0780

Protect your right to grow and obtain food

House Joint Resolution 0780 (HJR 0780) will have a hearing in the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee on Wednesday, March 11th.

Protect the right of Tennesseans to grow food for personal use and obtain food from sources of their choosing. By placing this protection in the state constitution, the resolution ensures that basic food production and voluntary exchange cannot be restricted by changing regulations or government overreach.

ACTION TO TAKE

Call and email members of the House Agriculture & Natural Resources Subcommittee and ask them to vote YES on HJR 0780. Contact Information for each member is listed below. Include where you live in Tennessee when making calls or sending emails. The Talking Points below can be used in your messages.

You may copy/paste the entire block to email the full committee:

rep.greg.martin@capitol.tn.gov; rep.justin.jones@capitol.tn.gov; rep.tom.stinnett@capitol.tn.gov; rep.monty.fritts@capitol.tn.gov; rep.rebecca.alexander@capitol.tn.gov; rep.chris.todd@capitol.tn.gov; rep.greg.vital@capitol.tn.gov; rep.johnny.shaw@capitol.tn.gov; rep.rusty.grills@capitol.tn.gov

TALKING POINTS:

A Clear Constitutional Protection for Basic Food Rights
HJR 780 proposes a constitutional amendment protecting the right of Tennesseans to grow food for personal consumption and obtain food from sources of their choosing. It is a common-sense protection that does not create a new regulatory system. It establishes a constitutional boundary preventing ordinary household food production from being restricted by shifting rules or interpretations. Growing food at home and purchasing directly from producers have long been lawful practices in Tennessee. Freedom of choice is essential in the face of increasing lack of transparency as to what ingredients are actually in foods in the conventional system.
Protects Against Government Overreach and Preserves Private Agreements
The amendment does not override private contracts, deed restrictions, or homeowners’ association agreements. It does not eliminate zoning authority or nuisance protections addressing genuine harms. It simply ensures personal food production cannot be arbitrarily restricted by government action. This measure limits government overreach while preserving legitimate health and safety regulation.
Why Constitutional Protection Is Necessary
Statutes can be amended. Regulations can change. Courts can expand regulatory authority over time. A constitutional amendment provides durable clarity. Recent examples show how easily food production can be restricted. In Florida, homeowners were forced to remove front yard vegetable gardens due to zoning until the legislature intervened. In Vermont, the state supreme court affirmed municipal authority to regulate farming through zoning. In Wickard v. Filburn, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld regulation of wheat grown for personal use. Definitions of personal use or commercial activity can shift. HJR 780 establishes a clear constitutional boundary.
Protecting Property Rights and Voluntary Exchange
Food grown on private property for personal use is an extension of basic property rights. The amendment protects voluntary, direct exchange between consenting adults. It prevents small-scale personal activity from being unintentionally swept into commercial regulatory frameworks. Lawful use of private property should not depend on government permission.
Addressing Food Safety Concerns
The amendment does not dismantle food safety laws or exempt commercial producers from legitimate regulation. It preserves the state’s authority to protect public health. States that have adopted similar protections, including constitutional protections in Maine, have operated for years without widespread documented outbreaks attributed to producers operating under those provisions. Food freedom and public health can coexist.
Strengthening Food Security for Tennessee Families
Food prices have risen significantly in recent years, placing pressure on household budgets across Tennessee. Protecting the right of families to grow some of their own food or obtain it directly from local producers strengthens household resilience, local self-sufficiency, and helps communities remain less vulnerable to supply chain disruptions, inflation, or shortages. Currently, there’s as little as three days worth of food in the conventional pipeline at any given time.