Tennessee

Tennessee is very thankful for everyone who planned, participated, and embraced the 2017 National Training Workshop (NTW) in Knoxville, TN. It is always uplifting to hear new success stories and visit with others who believe in the AgrAbility mission across the world! THANK YOU to the National AgrAbility Project (NAP) staff for their many hours in planning the 2017 NTW and selecting Tennessee AgrAbility Project (TNAP) to host. Tennessee is proud to say that four TNAP staff members attended the NTW. Through the NAP and Tennessee stipends, eight farmers were able to attend. TAP was very proud to have 11 Tennessee speakers at the event. A BIG thank you to great partners for hosting farm tours, educational vendors, and exhibitors, and to the best 12-year-old 4-H'er/auctioneer, Walker Housely! Check out Tennessee AgrAbility Facebook page and LIKE us to see photos from 2017 NTW.

TNAP learned at the NTW that they should probably not use the acronym TAP anymore since with their farmer veteran work it also means Transition Assistance Program, so they will use TNAP. They thank you all for your part in another great NTW!

Amanda Robertson, the Farm Service Agency beginning farmer regional coordinator for Kentucky and Tennessee, was the guest speaker for an ag economics department seminar. She spoke briefly about various USDA programs and about the specifics of some programs available to beginning farmers and ranchers. The information shared was very useful.

2017 Tennessee New Farmer Academy started in March with a record 42 participants coming from as far away as Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and Moultrie, Georgia! Staff love to see the motivation of these new farmers! Visit http://www.tnstate.edu/extension/NFA.aspx for more details about the TN New Farmer Academy.

Farmer Veteran Coalition is working in collaboration with Tennessee State University (TSU) and Alcorn State University to increase the benefits to farmer veterans in the great state of Tennessee. Alcorn State University is doing research on under-served farmers and is asking for TNAP's help to provide information for their research. In their quest to better serve farmers, TSU is surveying producers/farmers in Tennessee about their experiences with applying for USDA programs and services, such as Farm Service Agency, NRCS, Farm Credit, etc. All survey info is confidential and, depending on responses, TSU will conduct a face-to-face or phone interview for phase two to allow those who responded to provide feedback about their experience. If you are a Tennessee farmer and willing to participate please click on the link below and follow the directions.
https://tinyurl.com/TSU-Alcorn-USDA-study

TNAP and Rhea County Extension ended the month with a Farm Health and Safety Dinner Theater in Rhea County with over 80 people. Thank you to Dr. Deborah Reed for partnering with Tennessee in the CDC-NIOSH research program that gets farm families talking about their health and safety. Real threats and risks on the farm, secondary injuries, and empowering farmers to incorporate safety practices and prevention in their everyday work are just a few topics in the play. It is a good community social event as well as a learning opportunity. TNAP hopes to expand a similar concept to more counties across TN in the future.

Submitted by Tennessee AgrAbility