The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) has announced the first round of recipients for the Tennessee Forestry, Agriculture, and Rural Markets (FARM) cost share.
Businesses that receive financial assistance through FARM are not required to repay the funds. In this first period, more than $18 million was awarded to 20 agricultural, food, forestry, and nonprofit entities in Tennessee.
Of the 20 businesses to receive FARM funding in round one, three are in Bledsoe County. They are: Back Country Harvesters, a forestry manufacturer; Cote du Roanne, a specialty crop producer; and Shayne R. Bickford, a logger.
Meat processor Underground Slaughter in White County and Hale and Hines Nursery in Warren County will also receive round one FARM funds, as will:
Zephyr Development Group, Roane County – Meat Processor
Joseph Burks, Clay County – Logger
S&S Firewood, Grundy County – Forestry Manufacturer
Wampler’s Farm Sausage Co., Loudon County – Meat Processor
An estimated $15 million will be awarded in the second round of FARM funding. That application period is Nov. 1-30, 2023. A complete list of recipients and more information about the FARM cost share program can be found on the Tennessee Department of Agriculture website. www.tn.gov/FARM.
