HR 7002

                                                                        <BillNo> <Sponsor>
                                   HOUSE RESOLUTION 7002
                                              By Vital
                               A RESOLUTION to honor and commend Aubie Smith on being
                                            named the 2026 Tennessee Farmer of the Year
                                            for the East Tennessee region.
       WHEREAS, it is fitting that we salute those citizens who, through their extraordinary
efforts, have distinguished themselves as agricultural leaders of whom we can all be proud; and
       WHEREAS, one such outstanding person is Aubie Smith, who was named the 2026
Tennessee Farmer of the Year for the East Tennessee region by the University of Tennessee
Extension in coordination with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation; and
       WHEREAS, the Farmer of the Year Awards highlight each farmer's long and
distinguished career in such areas as ag production, marketing, business management, applied
research, environmental innovations, community service, and contributions to industry-related
organizations and their community; and
       WHEREAS, Aubie Smith is the proud owner of Aubie Smith Farms in Ooltewah, where
he combines the time-honored traditions of cattle production with the cultivation of specialty
crops and the world of agritourism; and
       WHEREAS, what started as a modest cow and calf operation in the 1990s has, through
years of devotion and passion, grown into a truly diversified agricultural destination that bridges
the gap between traditional farming production and modern agritourism; and
       WHEREAS, today, Aubie Smith Farms proudly boasts a 175-head brood cow operation,
along with seventeen acres dedicated to strawberries and pumpkins; the farm also welcomes
visitors to its annual sunflower and tulip festivals, further cementing its reputation as a cherished
community destination; and
                                               HR7002
                                               019110
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       WHEREAS, Aubie Smith exemplifies the spirit and dedication that are characteristic of a
true Tennessean, and we find it appropriate to honor and commend such an outstanding and
remarkable individual; now, therefore,
       BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED
FOURTEENTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, that we honor and
commend Aubie Smith of Ooltewah upon his selection as the 2026 Tennessee Farmer of the
Year for the East Tennessee region and extend to him our best wishes for much continued
success in all his future endeavors.
       BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an appropriate copy of this resolution be prepared
for presentation with this final clause omitted from such copy.
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