by Jon Styf
Tennessee awarded more than $18 million to 20 business in the first round of its Tennessee Forestry, Agriculture and Rural Markets cost share program.
The program was designed to support Tennessee businesses in the agriculture and forestry supply chain. The grants are administered by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and were chosen from 259 applications that requested $107 million in funding.
The funds were approved by Tennessee’s Financial Stimulus Accountability Group.
Applications were evaluated by a panel that scored the applicants based on the impact the funding could have on the business and on Tennessee’s food and fiber supply chain along with the panel’s evaluation of the financial readiness of the business to complete to project and be successful moving forward.
Applications for a second round of funding, expected to be $15 million in total, will be open in November.
“We invite the businesses that did not receive funding this time to apply again,” said Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher. “And if the FARM cost share isn’t the right fit for you, I encourage you to reach out to our Business Development Division to learn more about the Agricultural Enterprise Fund and other programs designed to boost agribusiness in Tennessee.”
The 20 businesses awarded in Round 1 were:
• Appalachian Producers Cooperative, Washington County – Meat Processor
• Back Country Harvesters, Bledsoe County – Forestry Manufacturer
• Bill J. Surber, Hancock County – Grain Handling Operation
• Clark Hardwoods, Houston County – Sawmill
• Cote du Roanne, Bledsoe County – Specialty Crop Producer
• David L. Richesin, Loudon County – Grain Handling Operation
• Double J Holdings, Lawrence County – Meat Processor
• Flowers Creamery, Giles County – Dairy Processor
• Hale and Hines Nursery, Warren County – Horticultural Producer
• Joseph Burks, Clay County – Logger
• Lazy Dog Farms, McNairy County – Meat Processor
• Madison Mill, Cheatham County – Forestry Manufacturer
• S&S Firewood, Grundy County – Forestry Manufacturer
• Schultz Brothers Farms, Dyer County – Grain Handling Operation
• Shayne R. Bickford, Bledsoe County – Logger
• Underground Slaughter, White County – Meat Processor
• Union County Tennessee – Farmers Market
• Volunteer Meats, Henderson County – Meat Processor
• Wampler’s Farm Sausage Co., Loudon County – Meat Processor
• Zephyr Development Group, Roane County – Meat Processor
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Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter of The Center Square who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies.
Photo “Produce” by Erik Scheel.
