The Tennessee Department of Agriculture recently disclosed the names of the recipients for the AgTrack cost share fund, a move aiming to bolster agricultural and forestry businesses in the state. AgTrack provides a welcome financial lift for new and expanding local entities, including nonprofits and local governments, whose projects demonstrate a tangible benefit to other regional producers or forest landowners, as mentioned by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.
Describing the program's benefits, Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M., said, "Job creation and economic development continue to be the focus for incentive programs like AgTrack." According to an announcement by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, this new funding is tailored for those aiming to enhance jobs in farming income, market access, and operational capacity. The hope is clearly that such influxes of capital might act as a catalyst for sustainable local economies rooted deeply in Tennessean soil.
The inaugural group of AgTrack beneficiaries includes a diverse set of operations. Miller Bros. Sawmill in Carter County is slated to put the funds towards a high-capacity sawmill installation, which should dramatically increase their production capabilities. Similarly, Winell Lee Lumber Co. in Putnam County is also on the list, with plans to construct a new millwork facility. Completing the circle of sawmill venture is J&J Works Farm out of Obion County, joining the cohort of high-capacity sawmill projects. AgTrack's reach extends to feed and grain as well, with United Farm and Home Co-op in Maury County laying out plans for a brand-new feed mill construction.
Not merely focused on the timber and grain industries, the AgTrack initiative is casting a wider net to include meat processing and retail. Appalachian Producers Co-op in Washington County looks to use their grant for the construction of a meat processing facility. Furthermore, Oak Grove Farm in Sumner County's plans include bringing a retail storefront and commercial kitchen into being, likely providing a direct conduit for their products to market. Over in Marshall County, Middle Tennessee Ag Services, Inc. intends to construct a grain elevator, a vertical expansion that bolsters their storage and processing capacity.
The AgTrack program extends its reach further as Hickory Corner Dairy in Claiborne County eyes stall barn constructions, while in Ervin Feed & Seed of Obion County is getting a new grain storage facility. Old South Wood Preserving in Lawrence County is not left behind with its ambitions for a new addition to their fence post mill. Each of these projects, distinct in its function, share a common thread of AgTrack's goal, as Commissioner Hatcher underscores the importance of these initiatives in escalating farm incomes and expanding market access for Tennessee's agricultural players.
