Tag: Tennessee Department of Agriculture

Tennessee Department of Agriculture Requiring Burn Permits Through May

Peter D'Abrosca
Controlled Burn

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Forestry Division is reminding Tennesseans that burn permits are required through the middle of May. 

“Fire prevention starts with each of us practicing safe burning and only burning when it’s safe. The burn permit process communicates to residents the safe locations and times for open burning,” State Forester Heather Slayton said in press release. “During hazardous fire conditions like high winds or extreme drought, permit issuance pauses temporarily until safe conditions return. Our aim is to safeguard Tennessee’s people, communities, and natural resources. Together, we can conserve our state’s beauty and prevent wildland fires.”

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Tennessee Ag Commissioner Charlie Hatcher Did Not Sign Letter by Officials in 12 States Accusing Banks of Pushing ESG on Farmers

Tom Pappert

The Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner, Dr. Charlie Hatcher, was not among the top agriculture officials from 12 different states who signed a letter on Monday that warned the heads of six elite banks that their “Net-Zero Banking Alliance” (NZBA) will force economically destructive Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) policies on American farmers.

The Tennessee Star contacted Hatcher’s office by phone and email to ask why he was not among the agriculture officials behind the letter, and to ascertain whether he is concerned by the claim that banks are foisting ESG policies on farmers, but did not receive an immediate response.

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Voluntary Recall of Kroger Collard Greens Announced After Tennessee Department of Agriculture Investigation

Peter D'Abrosca

A company from Georgia is voluntarily recalling collard greens sold in Kroger supermarkets in Tennessee after the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Consumer and Industry Services Division (CIS) found possible contaminants during a routine investigation. 

“Baker Farms of Norman Park, GA is voluntarily recalling a single production run of Kroger 16-ounce bagged Collard Greens, due to possible Listeria monocytogenes contamination,” according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). 

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Tennesseans Required to Obtain Burn Permits for Upcoming Dry Season

Peter D'Abrosca

In the coming days, Tennesseans will be required to obtain burn permits before burning leaf and brush piles as the state attempts to prepare for its dry season and prevent wildfires.

The directive came down from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry (TDF), and residents of the Volunteer State will be required to obtain such burn permits by Sunday. 

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Tennessee Awards $18 Million in Agricultural Supply Chain Grants

The Center Square

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.

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