06/05/2026
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Agricultural and Environmental Attorney Dustin Kittle Joins Tennessee Land & Liberty
COLUMBIA, Tenn. — Tennessee Land & Liberty has announced that agricultural and environmental attorney Dustin Kittle will join the organization as it expands its conservation, stewardship, and public-engagement efforts across Tennessee.
Kittle, a rancher and longtime public-interest advocate, has spent nearly two decades practicing law in matters involving complex litigation, environmental harm, infrastructure disputes, governmental accountability, and public-interest advocacy. In recent years, he has become increasingly known for representing farmers, ranchers, rural landowners, and public-interest clients in matters affecting agricultural continuity, land use, water resources, and rural communities.
The announcement follows the recent launch of Tennessee Land & Liberty, a nonprofit conservation and public-interest initiative focused on preserving rural landscapes, agricultural heritage, water resources, and community continuity through principled stewardship, responsible planning, transparency, and lawful governance.
According to research highlighted by the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, nearly 300 acres of farmland are lost each day across the state, placing Tennessee among the three states facing the greatest farmland-loss pressures in the nation as rapid growth increasingly reshapes rural communities.
Kittle said his decision to become involved with the organization was driven by growing concern over farmland fragmentation, infrastructure strain, water-resource pressures, and the long-term challenges confronting rural communities throughout Tennessee.
“Across the state, people are watching landscapes and communities that existed for generations change almost overnight,” Kittle said. “But I also believe people are increasingly recognizing that thoughtful stewardship and responsible growth can still coexist. I am optimistic about what this organization can accomplish because communities across Tennessee care deeply about preserving the land, water, and rural character that make this state unique, and I look forward to helping ensure that future generations inherit the same landscapes, water resources, and rural communities that have shaped Tennessee for generations.”
Alongside his legal practice, Kittle operates his Snow Creek farm in Santa Fe, Tennessee, where he raises Clydesdale horses and registered cattle and sheep as part of a broader commitment to agricultural continuity, livestock preservation, and land stewardship.
Teresa Sparks, a founding organizer of Tennessee Land & Liberty, said Kittle’s background gives the organization a perspective that is relatively uncommon within emerging conservation efforts.
“Dustin brings not only a deep connection to agricultural communities, but also years of experience involving litigation, infrastructure disputes, and complex public-interest matters,” Sparks said. “That combination provides a practical understanding of how conservation issues, development pressures, property rights, and institutional decision-making intersect in the real world.”
The organization noted that communities across Tennessee increasingly face mounting pressure from large-scale and infrastructure-intensive development, including rapid suburban expansion, industrial growth corridors, warehouse and logistics expansion, and utility-intensive projects such as data centers.
Kittle emphasized that the organization’s focus is not opposition to growth itself, but encouraging thoughtful development that respects infrastructure limitations, water resources, agricultural continuity, and the long-term character of communities.
“There is a growing recognition that once working farmland and rural landscapes are permanently fragmented, they are extraordinarily difficult to restore,” Kittle said. “The choices being made today will shape what remains for future generations, and Tennessee Land & Liberty intends to be a constructive voice in that conversation for years to come.”
Additional conservation initiatives, partnerships, and statewide public-engagement efforts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
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About Tennessee Land & Liberty
Tennessee Land & Liberty is a nonprofit conservation and public-interest organization dedicated to preserving rural landscapes, agricultural heritage, water resources, and community continuity through principled stewardship, transparency, responsible planning, and lawful governance.
