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Transcript of Tennessee Ag Insider 2012
• A GUIDE TO THE STATE’S FARMS, FOOD AND FORESTRY •
TENNESSEEAG INSIDER
Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Agr icu l ture // TNagr icu l ture.com // 2012
pIckING locAl
Finding Tennessee
food products is easier
than ever
Bovine BusinesscATTlE INDuSTRy TopS lIST of TENNESSEE AGRIculTuRAl commoDITIES
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 3 TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 3
14
TABLE OF CONTENTS
2012
• A GUIDE TO THE STATE’S FARMS, FOOD AND FORESTRY •
TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
7 A Look Inside
8 Tennessee Ag Insider Overview
10 Feeding the WorldTennesseelookstoplayamajorroleintheglobalfoodlandscape
Crops,Plants&Forestry14 The Modern Age of Ag
Farmersadoptnewtechnologies
19 Classrooms of the FutureUniversitiespreparestudentsforcareersinnewfieldsofagriculture
20 Nursery TimesBusinessisbloominginTennessee
25 Raising the RoofNashvillecompanygrowsgreenroofs
28 Standing TallForestryindustryboostseconomy
31 More Trees, PleaseCommunitiesembraceurbanforestry
TennesseeFood32 Picking Local
FindingTennesseefoodproductsiseasierthanever
34 A Taste for TennesseeState’sfirstfamilyenjoyslocalcuisine
35 Fresh From the FarmFarmers’marketsseehugegrowth
36 Going Whole HogTennesseesausagecompaniesreflectonhumblebeginnings
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 5
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ON THE COVER Photograph by Antony BoshierTreeFarmeroftheYearDr.SalemSaloomonhistreefarmwithLongLeafPines.
TENNESSEE AG INSIDER 2012
46
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Animals&Livestock40 Beefy Business
CattleindustryranksNo.1inTennesseeagriculture
45 Farm Futures FlourishProgramimprovesfarmprofits,stimulateseconomy
46 Equipped for EquineStateishometodiverseequineindustry
Environment&Conservation50 Here Comes the Sun
SolarpanelspopuponTennesseefarms
54 Deeply RootedFarmlandLegacyPartnershipworkstokeepstate’sfamilyfarmsinbusiness
Consumer&IndustryServices58 Recipe for Success
Stateinspectorsensurefoodsafetyandquality
60 What’s Cooking?Commercialkitchensprovideagreatresourceforfoodentrepreneurs
61 Measuring UpTennesseeinspectorstestscalesandgasolinepumps
63 Fighting On-Farm CrimesAgriculturalCrimeUnitprotectsruralsafety
InternationalTrade64 Tennessee Foods Go Global
Fromuniquepastatomarinadestogreenbeans,Tennessee’sfoodexportsfilldemandfornicheproducts
68 Global GainsCatesLandingconnectsNorthwestTennesseetoAsian,SouthAmericanmarkets
73 Seeing GreenAgribusinessandresearchfindhomeinMemphis
RuralEconomicDevelopment74 Small-Town Appeal
MainStreetProgramrevitalizestowncenters,linkstoagheritage
79 Bakery Comes BackArmstrongPieCompanyboostsPerryCountyrecovery
Growing a healthier world, one harvest at a time.
Our task is simple, yet monumental. To provide enough food for the world, while
protecting it at the same time. We believe that with the right combination of innovative
science, tenacious problem solving and unshakable passion, we can do it. We will meet
the needs of today while laying a foundation for a better tomorrow. And in doing so, we
will not only grow a healthier world, we will make sure that abundance endures for us all.
Learn more at www.BayerCropScience.us.
Science For A Better Life
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 7
A LOOK INSIDE
This magazine is abouT Telling a sTory – thestoryofTennesseeagricultureandforestryandtheimpacttheyhaveonthequalityoflifeofeveryTennessean,everyday.
Wearefortunatetohavesuchdiverseandprosperousindustriesthatnotonlygiveussustenancebutrichnessinallaspectsofourlivesandeconomy.Fromourdeepestconnectionswiththelandandculturetointernationaltradeandvalue-addedprocessing, Tennessee agriculture and forestry are vibrant, growing industries that permeate our economy, health, heritage and natural resources.
Tellingthestoryofthesedynamicandexpandingindustriesisnosmalltask.We’reproudtojoinwithJournalCommunications,oneofthenation’spremierpublishers,insharingwithyousomeofthechanges,challengesandopportunitieswithintheseindustrysectors.
Throughthisstory,wehopeyou’lldiscoveraconnectiontoagricultureandforestryyouneverknewbefore:howbeing“green”startswithagricultureandforestry,whygoing“local”meanssomuchmorethanfresh,andhowtechnologyisshapingfood,fiberandfuelproduction.
Ultimately,wehopeyou’lldiscoverthatthosewhofarmandmanageforestlandsarethestartingpointforamuchlargerandever-unfoldingstoryofourfutureandourabilitytoproduceforahungryworld.
Thisisyourstory!
Sincerely,
JuliusJohnsonCommissionerTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture
Welcome to the
TENNESSEEAG INSIDER
2012
DigitalEdition
14 // TENNESSEE AG INSIDER
CROPS, PLANTS & FORESTRY
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 15
TheModern Ageof AgTennessee farmers adopt latest technologies to maximize efficiency
OPTIMIzED FOR ONLINEEach article can be read online, as a web article or in our digital magazine.
SHARE THE CONTENTEasily share an interesting article, stunning photo or useful advertisement via Facebook, Twitter or e-mail.
HAVE A BLOG OR WEBSITE?Embed our digital magazine in your website to offer compelling information about Tennessee agriculture to your site visitors.
Visit us online atTNagr icu l ture.com
• A GUIDE TO THE STATE’S FARMS, FOOD AND FORESTRY •
TENNESSEEAG INSIDER
Sponsored by the Tennessee Department of Agr icu l ture // TNagr icu l ture.com // 2012
pIckING locAlFinding Tennessee food products is easier than ever
Bovine BusinesscATTlE INDuSTRy TopS lIST of TENNESSEE AGRIculTuRAl commoDITIES
The special tablet edition is designed especially for use on iPads and other tablet devices.
Visit us online atTNagr icu l ture.com
TabletEdition
TENNESSEEAG INSIDER
8 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
OvErvIEw
Alookatthestate’stopindustry
Tennessee Agriculture
Tennessee’s agriculTure industrycanbestbedescribedinoneword–diverse.
Fromcornandcottonfieldsinthewesttotobaccoandtomatoesintheeast,morethan50agriculturalproductsarecommerciallygrowninTennessee.Thestate’stopagriculturalcommoditiesincludecattle,soybeans,broilers(chickensraisedformeat),greenhouseandnursery,andcorn.Farmproductionaloneaccountsformorethan$3billioninfarmreceiptseachyear.
Thestate’suniquelandareascontributetoitsdiversity.Differencesinlandtype,soilcharacteristics,elevationandproximitytowaterhelpdeterminewhatcropsandlivestockwillbestgrowinaparticularregionofthestate.Rowcropsarelargelygrownintheflat,tillablelandofWestTennessee,whilethemorerockyterrainofupperEastTennesseeisbettersuitedformeatgoatproduction.Thestate’stopproduct,cattleandcalves,areraisedinallpartsofthestate,withmorethan1millioncowsgrazingTennesseepasturesatanygiventime.Inall,Tennesseeishometomorethan77,300farmsand10.8millionfarmlandacres,withanaveragefarmsizeof140acres.
Thestate’sagriculturaldiversity
relatestoagrowingtrendamongTennesseans–buyinglocal.ConsumersinteractwithTennesseeproducersatmorethan105farmers’marketsthroughoutthestateorbyvisitingfarmsthatfocusonagritourism.
Theindustryrepresentsmorethanjustagriculturalcommodities.Tennesseeagriculturealsorepresentsagribusinesses,foodmanufacturingandtransportation,forestryandlumberproducts,greenhouseandnurserybusinesses,extensionservices,universityandprivateindustryresearch,andmore.Thiscreatesanannualeconomicactivityof$71billionforagricultureandforestrycombined.
TheforestryindustryisalsobigbusinessforTennessee.Morethan80percentofthewoodmaterialproducedishardwood,andTennesseeconsistentlyranksasatophardwoodlumber-producingstate.Forestryexportstotaled$744.6millionin2009,withpaperasthetopproduct.
BoththeforestryandagricultureindustriessupportthecreationofjobsacrossTennessee.Thetwoindustriescombinedrepresentalmost15percentofalljobsinthestate,includingworkwithinagribusiness,foodmanufacturingandthesecondaryforestryindustry.
What’s OnlineAccess more agriculture facts
at TNagriculture.com.
Ofthe2.8 million crop acresplantedinTennesseein2010,morethan87 percentwereplantedwithconservationtillagemethods.Onceknownforitsrapidlyerodingfarmland,thestateisnowrecognizedasanational leaderin conservation tillage,especiallyno-tillfarming.
41percent of Tennessee’s total
land area is used for farmland.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 9
ThE mAjoRITy of ThE STATE’S Row cRopS (coRN,
coTToN, SoybEANS AND whEAT) ARE GRowN oN
ThE flAT, TIllAblE lAND of wEST TENNESSEE.
mIDDlE TENNESSEE IS kNowN foR ITS RollING
hIllS AND luSh pASTuRES, whIch ARE pERfEcT
coNDITIoNS foR RAISING bEEf cATTlE.
TobAcco, GoATS AND DAIRy cowS ARE pRImARIly
fouND IN ThE moRE uNEvEN AND mouNTAINouS TERRAIN
IN EAST TENNESSEE.
How does Tennessee’s geography affect agriculture?
Tennessee Export Value
Morethan 700 Tennessee farmsnowofferagritourism
attractions,suchascornmazes,pumpkin
patches,farmtoursandpick-your-own
operations.
SomE SuRpRISING TENNESSEE Top AGRIculTuRE pRoDucTS
TENNESSEE RANkS 2ND IN ThE NATIoN IN mEAT GoATS, 3RD IN fRESh TomAToES
AND 5Th IN fRESh SNAp bEANSSource: USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service
Source: USDA Economic Resource Service
Agriculture
$925 million
Forestry
$744.6 million
10 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
by 2050, The world’s populaTion is expecTed To increaseto9billion,leadingexpertstoestimatethat100percentmorefoodwillneedtobeproducedinordertonourishthatpopulation.
Thatscenario,dauntingthoughitmayseem,presentsagriculturallystrongstatessuchasTennesseewithauniqueopportunitytovastlyincreasefoodexports.
“About25percentofourtotalagriculturalproductionisexported,”saysJuliusJohnson,CommissioneroftheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture.“Forouragriculturalcommunitytogrow,wemustworkhardtogrowthatnumber.”
DEMAND GROWS FOR ROW CROPSInthislight,soybeans,alreadyafirmlyestablishedcropin
Tennessee,havethepotentialtobeagamechanger.Andthe
Tennessee looks to play a major role in the global food landscape
Feeding Worldthe
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 11
12 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
reasonissimple:Asdevelopingnationscontinuetoimprovetheirstandardsofliving,proteinintheformofsoybeansbecomesacriticalpartofhowthosecountriesgrowanimalproteinforfoodconsumption.
“Ifwecancontinuetoworkondevelopingsoybeanvarietiesthatarewell-tunedtotheclimateinTennessee,thenIthinkwewillbeabletocompeteprettywellwithother(soybean-producing)statesintermsofyields,”saysDr.DaryllRay,directoroftheAgriculturalPolicyAnalysisCenterattheUniversityofTennessee.
Althoughonasmallerscale,Dr.RaysaysthatcottonisanotherareaofTennesseeagriculturethatisripewithopportunityforgrowthinexports.
“America’scottonexportshaveexperiencedsignificantgrowthrecently,”hesays.“SothereisagreatopportunityforTennesseefarmersintheworldwidecottonarenaaswell.”
BEEF ExPORTS BOOMBeefisanothercommodityforwhichTennesseewould
benefitfromaworldwideincreaseindemand,whichwilloccurthankstorisingpercapitaincomesinmanyoftheworld’sexpandingcountries.
“Wearepartofthebeefproductionchain,”CommissionerJohnsonsays.“SoanyincreaseindemandattheexportlevelwillfilterdowntothefairlysizablecalfmarketinTennessee.”
Alongwiththeworldwideincreaseindemandforbeef,ongoingresearchoneverythingfromfertilizationtofencinghastremendouspotentialforincreasingtheamountofbeefproducedincow-calfoperations.HigherbeefyieldsmaketheexportingofbeeftocountrieswithgrowingmiddleclassesevenmorecostefficientforTennessee’ssmallerfarms,whichmakeupthemajorityofthelandthatisfarmedinthestate.Furthermore,thereisanopportunitytocapitalizedomesticallyonthegrowingpopularityingrass-fedbeef,ahighlyspecializedcommodityideallyproducedonsmallerfarms.
“Protectingthequalityofourproductiscritical,”CommissionerJohnsonsays,“becauseTennesseeisrecognizedasaproduceroftop-qualityproducts.Andthat’sareputationweowetooursmall-scalefarmers.”
ExPORTING MADE EASyInadditiontoexistingagriculturalcommodities,
Tennesseealsoboastscertaingeographicaladvantagesthatcanbeaboonfortheexportmarket.
“TheMississippiRiverallowsustoreachtheworld,”Dr.Raysays.“Chinaisatremendousimporterofsoybeans,andthepositionofboththeMississippiandtheTennesseeriversallowsustocompetewithcountrieslikeBrazilinthatcapacity.”
Water,however,isnotTennessee’sonlygeographicaladvantage.
“IfyoulookattheinterstatesystemthroughTennessee,wearesortofatthehubofthecountry’stransportationsystem,”CommissionerJohnsonsays.“Wecanconnecttokeypartsofthepopulation,andthatmeanswecangetourproducttomarketbetter,bothdomesticallyandabroad.”
– Brandon Lowe
The World's Population Growth
7 bIllIoN pEoplE IN 2011
9 bIllIoN IN 2050
ThAT’S A 30% INcREASE, whIch wIll REquIRE DoublE ThE woRlD’S cuRRENT fooD pRoDucTIoN To mEET ThoSE
populATIoN DEmANDS.
32%ofTennesseeagricultureproductsareexportedtoothercountries.
Source: United Nations population projections, May 2011
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 13
14 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
CrOpS, pLANTS & FOrESTry
TheModern Ageof AgTennessee farmers adopt latest technologies to maximize efficiency
in The 1960s, Tennessee hadthehighestratesofsoilerosioninthecountry,withfarmerslosinganaverageofalmost50tonsofsoilperacreperyear.Butanewtechniqueandacommitmentbythestate’sfarmerstouseitchangedallthat.
“Wesolvedthatproblembypromotingandemployingno-tilltechnologythroughoutthestate,”saysBlakeBrown,directoroftheUniversityofTennessee’sAgResearch&EducationCenteratMilan.“Today,morethan70percentofTennessee’sacresareno-tilled,”hesays.Theno-tillingpracticeincreasesthewaterandnutrientsinthesoilbygrowingcropswithoutdisturbing,ortilling,thesoil.Theresultsincludebetterproductionefficiency,cleanerwaterandair,anddrasticimprovementsin
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 15
“ I probably sit in front of a computer as much as I’m behind the wheel of a truck. ” – WIllIS JEpSoN
16 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
pho
tog
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Jef
frey
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TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 17
soilconditions.WillisJepson,aRobertsonCounty
farmerwhoseoperationincludescorn,wheat,soybeansandtobacco,knowsfirsthandthebenefitsofno-tillpractices.“Weembracedtheno-tillsysteminthe1980sandnoware100percentno-till.Beyondtheobvioussoilconservationadvantages,italsoallowsustodomorewithlesshorsepower,whichimprovesefficiency.”
SOFTWARE TO SMARTPHONESThat’sjustonetechnological
advancethatJepson,aseventh-generationfarmer,hasadopted.“I’vebeenworkingthesefieldsallmylifeandhaveseentechnologycontinuetoprovideouroperationwithopportunitiestomanageourinputs,tobegoodstewardsoftheenvironment,andtomonitorandimproveouryields.”
Hepointstoadvancementsinautosteerequipment,yieldmonitorsandaccompanyingsoftware,andevensmartphonesandiPadsasbeingresponsibleforcreatingefficienciesthatimprovethefarmer’sbottomline.Ofcourse,costsareassociatedwithadoptingthetechnology,butthere
canbebigpayoffs.“Equipmentadvancesallowusto
bettermanageallthezonesofouroperationindependently,”Jepsonsays.“Wecancreateaspecificprescriptionandtargetyieldforeachzone,whichmeanswe’renotbuyingmorefertilizerthanweneed.Wealsogaintimeandprecisioneachtimeweuseautosteerinouroperation.”
Jepsonalsocreditshisdesktopcomputerandmobiletechnologyformakingitsimplertorunhisfamilyfarm.“MyiPhoneandiPadmakeiteasytochecktheweatherandthemarketsalldaylong.Accessibilitytothatinformationaswellasthedataonourownoperationandfarmingresearchandtrendshelpusmakesounddecisionsbasedonthemostcurrentinformation.IprobablysitinfrontofacomputerasmuchasI’mbehindthewheelofatruck.”
BIOTECHNOLOGy AND BEyONDAccordingtoBrown,agriculture
biotechnologyisalsoresponsibleforprovidingefficienciesfortoday’sfarmer.ProductssuchasRoundUpReadyRforsoybeansandinsectcontrolbiotechnologyforcornand
cottonlowerthenumberofpassesfarmershavetomakeinafield,whichsavestimeandfuel.Ofcourse,theyhavetocontinuouslymonitorforresistance.Andthat’swhyresearchissoimportant.
“Farmersreallybelieveinresearch,”saysParksWells,executivedirectoroftheTennesseeSoybeanPromotionCouncil.“Ithasatremendousreturnforthem,”hesays,becausetheadvancesthatresultfromtheresearchdrivecost,time,andproductionefficienciesandevenopenupnewmarkets.
Wellspointstothesuccessofbiodieselasonesuchtechnologicaladvance.Notonlycanitbeusedtopoweragriculture,butit’salsomadefromsoybeans,soitpaysdoublethedividends.Inaddition,Wellssays,it“helpsprovideproteinfortheworld”throughthecreationofsoybeanmealinthebiodieselproductionprocess.
Whilethereisnoshortageofchallengesfortoday’sfarmers,thereisnoshortageofingenuityortenacityintheTennesseeagriculturecommunityeither,Brownsays.“Ourgoalistohelpfarmersbesuccessful.Technologyisoneimportantwaytoensurethatsuccess.” – Cathy Lockman
Willis Jepson utilizes new technology on his Robertson County grain farm. Advances in precision agriculture such as auto steer and yield monitors increase efficiency and help farmers be good environmental stewards.
18 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
Tennessee 4-H has more than
300,000participants every year.
4,550 4-H All Stars contributed
57,846hours of community service,
valued at
$1,235,591
Creating and Sustaining Positive Youth Development
Opportunities
To learn more or to donate visit http://4h.tennessee.edu.
Tennessee’s Top Crops
SoybEANSSoybean production ranks first among all crops in Tennessee,
with 43.7 million bushels harvested in 2010. Most are grown in West Tennessee,
with Dyer, Obion and Gibson as the top
counties. Soybeans are also the state’s
top agricultural export.
coRNIn Tennessee, corn is mostly grown for
grain, but also a small amount for silage
(livestock feed). In 2010, the state's corn
farmers harvested a combined 685,000
acres, with an average yield of 117
bushels per acre (for grain) and 45 tons per
acre (for silage).
coTToNTennessee
ranks eighth nationally for
cotton production, with 387,000
acres harvested in 2010. Top
cotton counties are Haywood,
Crockett, Gibson and Madison, all
located in the western part of
the state.
TobAccoThe state's tobacco producers yielded 45.7 million pounds of tobacco in 2010,
including burley, dark fired-cured and dark aired-cured varieties.
Tennessee ranks third for tobacco production, and top counties are
Robertson, Macon, Montgomery and
Sumner.
whEATSome 180,000 acres
of wheat were harvested in 2010,
with average yields of 53 bushels per
acre. Seeded in the fall and harvested
in the spring, winter wheat is grown
across the state, but primarily in
Robertson, Gibson, Haywood, Weakley and Henry counties.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 19
CrOpS, pLANTS & FOrESTry
I tmightseemfar-fetched,butthesightofafarmerremotelyoperatingtwotractorsatonce,
eachwithoutadriver,isatechnologythatismorethanjustanidea–it’sactuallyindevelopment.
AdvanceslikethesearejustpartofwhatthefutureholdsfortheagricultureindustryinTennessee.That’swhyuniversitiesacrossthestatearetakingstepstoensurethattheirstudentsarepreparedtobetomorrow’sindustryleaders.
AtMiddleTennesseeStateUniversity,forexample,alternativefuelexpertandagriscienceprofessorCliffRickettsuseshis35yearsofresearchinthefieldtogivestudentshands-onopportunitiestobuildvehiclesthatrunonpowerotherthangasoline.
“ThegoalofmyworkistocomeupwithaprocesswherebytheAmericanfarmerandAmericanconsumerswouldbeenergyindependentintheeventofacrisisinthePersianGulf,”Rickettssays.“Mystudentshavebuiltenginesthatrunonethanol,cowmanure,soybeanoil,solarpower,andnowmypassionistobuildanenginethatrunsonwater.Ourprogramhasmanystudentswhoaregiftedengineersandmechanics,andIjustguidethemandthengetoutofthewayandletthemusetheirtalentstobuildcars.”
SuchinnovationisalsoapartoftheTennesseeTechUniversitycurriculum.Theschool’snewdegreeconcentrationinagritourismisthefirstsuchprograminthestate.Itprovidesstudentswithanunderstandingof
howtourismcanenhancetherevenueopportunitiesofworkingfarmsthroughtheadditionofpettingzoos,festivals,bed-and-breakfasts,concerts,camping,hikingandwineries.
AttheUniversityofTennesseeInstituteofAgriculture,twonewfacilitiespreparestudentsforcareersintheever-changingagricultureindustry.TheCenterforAthleticFieldSafetyconductsresearchonthesafetyofnaturalandsyntheticturf,andtheLittleRiverAnimalandEnvironmentalUnitincludesastate-of-the-artdairy.Otherinitiativesinclude
TennesseeStateUniversity’sgoatresearchprogramandthevettechprogramattheUniversityofTennesseeatMartin.
Suchopportunitieshaveimplicationsfortheagricultureindustryandbeyond.Forinstance,Rickettssaysthat“MTSUhasamodelforthecountrytofollowintheeventofanationalenergycrisis,”andpreparingstudentsforsuchaneventualitythroughthedevelopmentofalternativefuels“willhaveimplicationsforpeace,nationalsecurity,theeconomyandtheenvironment.”
– Cathy Lockman
Universitiespreparestudentsforcareersinnewfieldsofagriculture
Classrooms of the Future
The Center for Athletic Field Safety at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture researches the safety of natural and synthetic turf.
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20 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
CrOpS, pLANTS & FOrESTry
wiTh more Than 700 nurseries, 300 greenhouses, 2,500plantdealers,and400landscaperscertifiedacrossthestate,thehorticultureindustryisaboomingandbloomingbusinessinTennessee.Together,thosebusinessestranslateinto21.7millioncontainersofplants,48,000acresofgrowingarea,and$300millioninsaleseachyear.
Addtothosenumbersthefactthatthestateistheworld’slargestsupplierofdogwoodandpeachtreeliners(youngplantsreadyforfieldtransplanting),andit’snowonderMiddleTennessee–specifically,
Business is blooming in Middle Tennessee
TimesNursery
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 21
Tom Gallagher, middle, and sons Tim, left, and Terry, right, grow 1,150 acres of trees and shrubs at the family-owned Heather Farms Nursery in Morrison. They export about 20 percent of their plants.
22 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
McMinnville–iscalledthe“NurseryCapitaloftheWorld.”Butwhatisitthatmakestheareasuchfertilegroundforgrowingsomanyspeciesofperennials,annuals,groundcover,shrubs,andshade,fruitandfloweringtrees?AccordingtoKyleHolmberg,internationalmarketingspecialistfortheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA),it’sacombinationofidealclimateandsoil,historyandTennesseeknow-how.
“Wehaveagreatreputationaroundtheworldforgrowingqualitynurserystock,”Holmbergsays.Healsocreditstheindustry’sstrongpartnershipwithTennesseeStateUniversity’sNurseryResearchCenter,“whichsupportsthe
nurseriesandpromotesinnovation”invarietydevelopment.
But,hesays,successbeginswithoptimumgrowingconditions,whichTennessee’slocationensures.Withanaverageannualtemperatureof59degreesand70percenthumidity,theclimateoffersmildwintersandwarmsummersthatareidealforproducingqualitynurserystockthatwillthriveacrossthecountry–fromareasasdifferentinclimateasMinneapolistoAustin,Texas.Inaddition,thesilt-loamsoilinMiddleTennesseeisidealfornurserystockbecauseitretainsnutrientsandwaterandclingstogethertoestablishastrongrootball.
FactorinthatTennesseeisstrategicallylocatedwithin1,000
milesof46percentoftheU.S.populationandhaseasyshippingaccessthroughaconvenientnetworkofinterstates,andyouhavealltheseedsforsuccess.
TAkING ROOT OUTSIDE THE U.S.Tennessee’streesandplantsaren’t
justadomesticproduct.TerryGallagher,oneoftheowners
ofHeatherFarmsNurseryinMorrisonnearMcMinnville,saysexportsaccountfornearly20percentofhisbusiness.Thefamily-ownednursery,whichwasestablishedin1976with50acresandhasgrownto1,150acrestoday,haslongexportedtreesandshrubstoCanadaandmorerecentlyhasmadeinroadsintheEuropeanmarket.
TENNESSEE IS homE To NEARly 1,700
NuRSERy opERAToRS, AND mcmINNvIllE IS
coNSIDERED ThE “NuRSERy cApITAl of ThE woRlD.”
Tennesseenurseryproductsrepresent$285 million incashreceipts eachyear.
$2.7 millionworth of Tennessee-grown live plants and trees
were exported around the world in 2010.
mcmINNvIllE
photography by Jeff adkinS
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 23
Theydiditbytravelingtointernationalhorticulturetradeshowsanddevelopingnewrelationshipsandproductsasaresult.Oneproduct,asoft-sidedcontainerproducedinAustraliathatHeatherFarmscustomizedtomeettheirstandards,hasopenedupdoorstotheexportmarket.
“TheEZcontainerpromotesamorefibrousrootsystemwhilerestrictingcirclingroots,usingnaturalsunlightandair,whichmeansbetterlivabilityfortheplant,”Gallaghersays.Andbecausethecontainersaresoft-sided,“youdon’tgetdamagetotheplantswhenthecontainersarepackedtightlytogether.”
ThiscommitmenttoinnovationisearningHeatherFarmsan
internationalreputationasareliablesupplierofhard-to-shipplants.“Wemadeasignificantinvestmentoftimeandmoneytodevelopasoilandgrowingfacility[forthiscontainerproduction]thatmeetstheU.S.DepartmentofAgricultureandEuropeanUnioncriteriaandnowhave10acresofouroperationdedicatedtoproducingplantsinthesecontainers.”
GallagherhasalsospentconsiderabletimevisitingEuropetoseehowpotentialcustomersdobusinessandhashostedmanyinternationalproducersathisoperation.“It’simportantforthemtoseeforthemselvesthedifferencesingrowingmethods,howourproductlinecanfitintotheirproduction,and
thesupportofournearbynurseryresearchcenter,”Gallaghersays.“ItgivestheTennesseeindustryasignificantcompetitiveadvantage.”
TheinitiativeofGallagherandotherproducerslikehimtothinkcreatively,takerisksandbuildrelationshipswithinternationalgrowersisthekeytodevelopingtheexportmarket,saysHolmberg,whoworkswiththeTennesseehorticultureindustrytopromotetheirproducts.
“Thereareaddedcoststoengaginginsuchefforts,”hesays.“Butthereisapotentialforsubstantialpayoffinthelongtermforthegrower,theindustryandthestateofTennessee.”
– Cathy Lockman
What’s OnlineSee more photos of
Tennessee nurseries at TNagriculture.com
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 25
CrOpS, pLANTS & FOrESTry
W hilemanyinhorticulturearelookingtotheexportmarketasawaytoboost
sales,othersarecultivatingnewmarketsinTennesseetogeneratemoregreenforgreenbusinesses.
AndySudbrock,ownerofNashvilleNativesNurseryandSoutheastGreenRoofs,isonesuchhorticulturalentrepreneur.Hehascreatedhisownnichebygrowingandmarketinganinnovativerooftopmodulesystemmadeofnativeplants.PublicandprivatedeveloperswhoarecommittedtosustainablearchitectureworkwithSudbrock’scompanytocustomdesigntheirgreenroofproject,suchasthe2,000-square-footLiveRoofrecentlyinstalledattheMcCabeCommunityCenterforNashvilleMetroParks.
“Thegreenroofindustryhasverytangibleenvironmentalandfinancialbenefits,”saysSudbrock,whooperatesbothbusinessesfromhis15-acrefarminFairview.“Theyproducesavingsinwinterheatingandsummercoolingcosts,andthey
haveasignificantimpactonstormwaterrunoffbecauseasuccessfulgreenroofcancapture90percentofa1-inchrainfall.Withmanycitiesstrugglingwithantiquatedstormsewersystemsandincreasedstormflows,greenroofscanhelptopreventexistinginfrastructurefromgettingoverlystressed.Greenroofsareveryfunctionalbuildingcomponentsthatalsohappentobeverybeautiful.”
Thatbeautycomesintheformofavarietyofdrought-tolerantplants,suchassedum,nativewildflowers,andotherlow-growing,low-maintenancespeciesthataddvisualinterest,improvepropertyvalueandboostprideinownership.
Eachrooftopiscustomgrown,Sudbrockexplains,withplantschosenbasedontheclimateandanychallengesoftheproject’slocation.Each2-square-footmoduleispre-grownatthenursery,andthecompleteroofisassembledonsite.“Youhaveafunctioninggreenrooffromtheveryfirstday,”hesays.
Foranindustrythathasfeltthe
pinchofreducedlandscapebusinessduetofewernewhousesandoverallbelttighteningbyconsumers,sustainablearchitectureprovidesawaytoboostthebottomlinewhileprovidingenvironmentalbenefits.
G.DoddGalbreath,executivedirectorofLipscombUniversity’sInstituteforSustainablePractice,encouragestheindustrytoembracetheeconomicopportunitythatsustainableproductsprovide.
“IfIwereinthenurseryindustry,Iwouldbepositioningmyproductsasananswerforstormwaterrunoffproblems,”Galbreathsays.“Plantmaterialcausesstormwatertosoakintothegroundmorequickly,tobestoredmoresafely,tobeconsumed,andtoevaporateintotheaircompletely.Ifeveryroofandpublicspacecouldbemadeintoakindoflinearspongebyusingplantmaterial,you’retalkingaboutsubstantiallyincreasingtheneedforplantmaterialandthesalesforTennesseegrowers.”
– Cathy Lockman
NashvillecompanygrowsgreenroofsRaising the Roof
Nashville Natives grows plants specifically for use on green roofs and other living agricultural projects.
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CrOpS, pLANTS & FOrESTry
Forestry industry boosts state economy
Standing TAll
ForesTs cover more Than halfofthelandinTennessee,andthose14millionacresgrowalotmorethanjusttrees.Theygrowthestateandlocaleconomy,too,creatingjobs,productsandexports,allofwhichmaketheforestindustryanearly$13billionbusinessinTennessee.
Whiletherecentrecessionandtheresultingdecreaseinnewhomeconstructionhasimpactedthosenumbers,theindustrycontinuestostandtall–maintainingthenecessaryinfrastructuretosupportastrongrecovery.
AccordingtoTimPhelps,publicoutreachspecialistfortheDivisionofForestryintheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA),
that’sbecausethestate“hasanabundantsupplyofasustainableandvaluableforestresource,askilledworkforce,andastrongcommitmenttotheforestryindustry.”
Inaddition,themajorhighwayandrailwaysystemsinTennesseeaswellasnearbyportaccessmeanslumberandotherproductscaneasilybemadeavailableforanationalandglobalmarket.
Whatarethoseproductsandthebusinessesthatmakethem?ThevastmajorityofTennessee’sforestsaremadeupofhardwoodspecies,andthetimberprocessedbythestate’smorethan200sawmillsismostlyoak,yellowpoplar,andhickory.Infact,Tennesseeproducesmorethan800millionboardfeetofhardwood
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 29
A dawn redwood tree towers over Bruce Webster, urban forest leader for the Tennessee Division of Forestry. A lightning rod, attached to the tree trunk, protects it from storms. Webster says it’s a common management practice for high-valued trees.
30 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
opportunitiesfortheforestryindustry,otherinitiativesalsoholdpromiseasawayfortheindustrytogrowinbothreputationandbottomline.Forinstance,SustainableForestryInitiative,ForestStewardshipCouncilandtheAmericanTreeFarmSystemoffervoluntarycertificationprogramsthatsetstandardsforachievingtheirspecificsustainabilitydesignation.Thougheachprogramhasdifferentrequirements,thegoalistoensureconsumersthatthewoodandpaperproductstheybuyhavecomefromaforestthathasbeenresponsiblymanaged.
“Thereisagrowinginterestbytoday’sconsumersandbusinessestosupportindustrieswithrecordsofstrongenvironmentalstewardship,”Phelpssays.“AsTennesseeforestlandowners,forestryindustries,builders,architectsandothersuppliersinthechainpursuesustainabilitycertifications,theywillhavetheabilitytomeetthisgrowingdemand.Tennessee’sforestandhumanresourcesarewellpositionedtosupplyit.”
– Cathy Lockman
lumbereachyear,makingitoneofthetophardwood-producingstates.Althoughmuchlesssoftwoodisproduced,about15millionboardfeetannually,pineandothersoftwoodsareeconomicallyvaluablecommoditiesaswell.
Woodproductsmanufacturingisamongthestate’slargestbasicindustries.Secondaryproducts,suchasflooring,cabinetry,manufacturedhomesandpaperboard,addtotheeconomicimpactoftheforestryindustry,asdoesthe$2.5billioninwagespaidtothenearly42,000
Tennesseanswhoworkintheindustry.
BRANCHING OUTAlthoughTennesseeisoneofthe
nation’stopfivehardwood-producingstates,onlyabout5percentofthedriedhardwoodlumberitmanufacturesremainsinthestate.Infact,morethan$740millionworthofproductsareexportedoutsidethestateandthecountryeachyear.
Whilethatexportmarketrepresentsadditionaleconomic
$288million was generated in
timber sales in 2010
5Tennessee’s national rank for hardwood production
The N u m b E R S :
Webster takes a core sample from a sugar maple tree on the Ellington Agricultural Center campus in Nashville.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 31
More Trees, Please
You don’t have to own a sawmill or a paper mill to appreciate the value of Tennessee’s trees. You don’t have to be a logger, a furniture maker or a forest landowner either. The only thing you have to do, says Bruce Webster, an urban forest leader for the Tennessee De-partment of Agriculture (TDA), is be sure your city has plenty of them.
“In forestry, the goal is to produce a wood product, but in urban forestry the goal is to produce a canopy of trees,” Webster says. “A good tree canopy can reduce energy costs, increase property values, reduce storm water issues and mitigate air pollution.”
The Tennessee Forest Resource Assessment and Strategy report published in 2010 by TDA supports those claims. The report cites research that credits the shade produced by urban forests with providing more than $60 billion in energy cost savings each year for Tennesseans. It points to infrastructure benefits that tree-lined streets provide by intercepting rainfall, which lessens the stress on urban storm sewers, and how streets don’t need to be repaved as often because of the shade. And it estimates the value of the state’s urban forests for naturally managing carbon and removing air pollutants at more than $203 million annually.
But trees provide many intangible benefits as well, Webster says, including an improved quality of life. Some studies find that the addi-tion of trees to the urban landscape may slow traffic, reduce crime in public housing and provide a sense of well-being. “It’s harder to quantify these benefits, but they certainly are there,” Webster says.
The TDA Urban Forestry Program works with cities to help them take advantage of the many benefits trees provide. Through ser-
vices that assist communities in planting and managing their trees, the program encourages Tennessee cities to develop their own self-sustaining urban forestry plan. Forty-one communities have implemented such a plan and earned the Tree City USA designa-tion for efforts in establishing tree care and protection ordinances, budgeting for and planting trees, and supporting Arbor Day.
Webster says such cities understand that “trees are valuable biological components of a city’s infrastructure and that planning for longer-lived trees is important for realizing the many benefits that trees add to a community.”
– Cathy Lockman
Tennesseecommunitiesembraceurbanforestrymovement
Tennesseehasnearly300,000more
forestedacrestodaythanin1961.Therate
ofgrowthisnearlytwicetheharvest
rateeachyear.
moRE ThAN 2,500 fIRES buRN EAch yEAR IN TENNESSEE foRESTS.
ThE TENNESSEE DIvISIoN of foRESTRy pRovIDES STATEwIDE fIRE pRoTEcTIoN AND
SuppRESSIoN SERvIcES.
Tennesseeishometo15 state forests,whichrangefrommountaincovestobottomlandsalongtheMississippiRiver.Stateforestsaremanagedforamixofnaturalresourcesincludinggameandnon-gamewildlife,andlarge,high-qualitytimber,andtheyofferhunting,hiking,birdwatchingandtranquility.
60,000jobs are created
through the Tennessee
forestry industry.
Franklin has earned the Tree City USA designation, along
with 40 other cities in the state.
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The ThoughT oF eaTing locally mighT conjureimagesofcozymom-and-popdinerswheretheownersarealwayspresentandthemenuisladenwithcomfortfood.However,recentyearshaveseenthedramaticriseinadifferentkindoflocaleating.
Thelocalfoodmovementisanemergingtrendinconsumerdemandandrelatesnotonlytothedistancebetweenproducersandconsumersbutalsotothemanufacturingcharacteristicsoftheproducer.Foodproducedlocallyisnotonlygrownonsmallerfarmsbutalsomarketedwithin400milesofwhereitwasharvested.
Thedemandforlocallygrownfoodsisdrivenbyanincreaseinconscientiousconsumerswhoareinsearchofmorethanjustaproduct.WaynesbororesidentGayleTanner,alongwithherhusband,Jim,ownsandoperates
BonnieBlueFarm,agoatdairy.TheTanners,licensedfarmsteadgoat-cheeseproducerssince2006,knowconsumershavehighexpectationsfortheirfooddollars.
“Manyconsumerswanttobesuretheyarespendingtheirmoneyinthelocalcommunity,supportinglocalfarmersandgettingfresher,healthierfood,”Tannersays.“Asmoreshopperswantlocalfood,farmersarefindingwaystoextendthegrowingseason,andfarmersmarketsarestartingearlierinthespringorgoyearround.ManypeoplehavemovedtoTennesseebringingtheirfoodtraditionsandcustoms,thusexpandingthevarietyandethnicdiversityforallconsumers.Chefshaveaddedtothemovementbyseekingoutlocalproducts,visitingfarmsandmakingfarmerstheirfriends.”
Twoavenuesforlocallygrownfoodsarefarmersmarketsandagritourismvenues.Whereasproducers
Picking Finding Tennessee
foods is easy, thanks to PickTnProducts.orglocal
1
TENNESSEE FOOD
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 33
1TENNESSEE GouRmET
Based in Mt. Juliet, this company specializes in gourmet sauces,
pepper jellies and salad dressings.
2whITE lIly
Considered by many as the best flour for biscuits, White Lily was
continuously milled in Knoxville for 125 years. Today, its headquarters
is in Memphis.
3boNNIE bluE GoAT chEESE
Located in Waynesboro, Bonnie Blue Farm uses only the milk from its Nubian and Saanen dairy goats to make hand-crafted goat cheese.
4NAShvIllE ToffEE compANyThis Nashville-based toffee treat
was first produced in 2003, using a grandmother’s famous recipe.
5AllEGRo mARINADE
These marinades were created in 1955 by a Paris, Tenn., family who
wanted to make inexpensive meats more desirable.
6NoNNA’S GouRmET fooDSThese are the same delicious
Italian sauces served in the Cafe Nonna restaurant in Nashville.
7TENNESSEE chow-chow
A Southern staple, this relish is made in small batches by Sugar
Plum Foods in White House, Tenn. The company also sells pickles
and apple butter.
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A Taste for TennesseeState’sfirstfamilyenjoyslocalcuisine
Chef Matt Gallaher saw the power of home cookin’ firsthand while traveling the globe as personal chef to the rock band Kings of Leon. “When you’re away from home for months at a time, people just want to sit down to familiar comfort food,” Gallaher says. The Knoxville native believes meals can be even more meaningful when they are made with homegrown ingredients.
“I like being connected to the food I’m serving,” says Gallaher, who returned to his Tennessee roots to serve as personal chef to Gov. Bill Haslam and his family at the Tennessee Governor’s Mansion. These days, the chef happily indulges his passion for farm-to-table cooking – a passion shared by Tennessee’s first family.
“The governor is really supportive of buying locally, and that’s something near and dear to my heart,” Gallaher says.
To promote the products produced in the state, the Haslams are strong supporters of the Pick Tennessee Products campaign. In fact, the Tennessee Governor’s office has been a proud supporter of the program for 25 years. Gallaher says he frequents the program’s website when planning meals.
According to his chef, the health-conscious governor “loves lamb and chicken, and is open to trying new things.”
Among Gallaher’s go-to ingredients is the intensely smoky bacon that has made Allan Benton from Madisonville-based Benton’s Country Hams a celebrity in the culinary world.
To satisfy the gubernatorial sweet tooth, Gallaher turns to the Nashville-based bean-to-bar chocolate produced by Olive & Sinclair.
And for a cheese to please any palate, who needs Wisconsin? “Some great Tennessee cheeses are gaining in popularity, says
Gallaher, who notes Blackberry Farm’s sheep’s milk cheeses, goat cheese from Noble Springs Dairy and Sequatchie Cove Farm’s cow’s milk creations.
“Tennessee wines are also developing by leaps and bounds,” says Gallaher. He favors Beach Haven Winery’s dry Riesling and sparkling wine, as well as the offerings of Arrington Vineyards.
“People are really starting to care where their food comes from. Buying locally is a fairly easy thing you can do to make a difference economically and culturally,” Gallaher says. “I’m really glad to be a piece of that puzzle.” – Celeste Huttes
bringfoodtotheformer,thelatterprovidesconsumerswithachancetovisitfarmsandoftentimesbeapartoftheproductionprocess.Inadditiontothousandsoflocallygrownproducts,Tennessee’shundredsofagritourismventuresofferconsumersafun,firsthandaccountofagriculture.
ConnectinglocalproducersandagritourismvenuestoconsumersisPickTennesseeProducts,aprogramofferedthroughtheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA).
“PickTennesseeProductswasaroundbeforeeatinglocalbecamethetrend,sowe’vebeen,andcontinuetobe,agreatsourceforconsumers,”saysPamelaBartholomew,agritourismandfarmersmarketsmarketingspecialistwithTDA.
Twenty-fiveyearsago,thePickTennesseeProductsprogramwascreatedtopromotefarmersandgrocerystores.Today,withthesamemissioninmind,theprogramoffersfreemarketingforfarmersthroughitswebsite(www.pickTnproducts.org).
Morethan1,600individualfarmersusethewebsiteandprogramtosellsome6,000items,includingfruits
The Pick Tennessee Products website contains: • An online store linking visitors
to product websites • Statewide directories to
farmers’ markets• Seasonal farm product recipes• Directories for orchards and
pick-your-own farms • Lists of retail stores that sell
Tennessee products
1,500More than 1,500 individual farmers and farm-
direct businesses list nearly 6,000 farm products on the Pick TN Products website.
700Tennessee is home to more than
700 agritourism locations, spread all over the state.
The N u m b E R S :
andvegetables,grainsandorganicoptions.Specialtyproducts,suchasfarm-directbeef–grass-fedbeefproducedwithouttheuseofantibiotics–arealsomarketedthroughtheprogram.Theprogramalsoincludesmanyvalue-addedproducts,whicharetheresultoftakingarawproductgrownbythefarmerandmodifyingit,suchasflour,preservesorhoney.
ThePickTennesseeProductsprogrambridgesthegapbetweenproductionandconsumptionandadvocateseatinglocallybyborrowingfromthemom-and-popdinerphilosophy,whichGayleTannersumsup:“Personalrelationshipsleadtoanunderstandingofthetime,effortandexpenserequiredtoproduceourcheese.” – Kirby Smith
www.PickTnProducts.org
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T hedemandforlocallygrownfoodhasfueledextraordinarygrowthinfarmers’markets
acrossTennessee.Thestatehas115farmers’markets
listedthroughitsPickTennesseeProductsonlinedirectorytotemptconsumerswithfarm-freshfruitsandvegetables,aswellasmeats,cheesesandartisanitems.That’saboutdoublethe58marketslistedwiththedirectoryjustfiveyearsago,accordingtotheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA).
“Wearehavingtremendousgrowthinfarmers’markets,”saysPamelaBartholomew,TDAmarketingspecialistforagritourismandfarmers’markets.“Itisunbelievablehowmanymarketsarepoppingupinsmallandlargecommunities.”
Athens,population14,000,hasbeenoverwhelmedbytheresponse
toits2011debutofMarketPark,adowntownpropertythecityacquiredandredesignedtoshelterfarmvendorssellingseasonalitemsfromafive-countyregionofsoutheasternTennessee.
“Tosayitwassuccessfulisamajorunderstatement,”saysAustinFesmire,thecity’sdirectorofparksandrecreation.Aone-day-a-weekmarketideaturnedintoadailyevent.
With69farmersregisteredforits2011opening,thecityhadanear50percentyear-over-yeargrowthinvendors,Fesmiresays.
TDAhassupportedthegrowthoffarmers’marketsthroughgrantprograms,marketingassistanceandeducationalsessions.
Farmersofferfruits,vegetables,meats,honey,cheeses,cannedgoods,breadsandpastas,aswellascandles,soaps,andwoodandfiber
products.Somemarketsareopenyearround.Othersfollowthegrowingseason,startingwithspringasparagusandendingnearHalloweenwithpumpkinsandsquashthatdoubleasfalldecor.
Visitwww.pickTnproducts.orgforalistofallTennesseefarmers’markets. – Joanie Stiers
Farmers’marketmovementseestremendousgrowth
TENNESSEE FOOD
Fresh From the Farm
ThE NumbER of fARmERS’
mARkETS lISTED wITh ThE
pIck TENNESSEE pRoDucTS wEb DIREcToRy hAS
DoublED IN fIvE yEARS.
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2011
TheTennesseeAgEnhancementProgramhasprovidednearly$800,000tohelp147 farmers’ marketsadvertiseandpromotethemselves.Projectshaveincludedbillboards,newspaperandradioadvertising,posters,signsandwebsitedevelopment.
36 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
TENNESSEE FOOD
when harold williams, Founder oF theWestTennessee-basedWilliamsSausageCompany,firstbegansellingsausagein1958,heboastedamodestoperationthroughwhichhesoldsmallamountsofsausagetoahandfulofindividualsandfamilies.Infact,theoperationwassosmallthatHarold’swifeHazelactuallyhand-sewedtheclothbagsinwhichthesausagewassold.
Flashforwardmorethanhalfacentury,though,andWilliamsSausagehasbecomeamulti-milliondollarcompanywhoseproductsareconsumedinnearly40statesspanningacrossthecountry.Infact,thecompanyjustfinishedatwo-year,$16millionprojectinwhich40,000squarefeetwasaddedtoitsexistingprocessingfacilityinUnionCity,Tenn.TherecentsuccessofWilliamsSausagedemonstratesjusthowviablesausageprocessingisasanindustryinTennessee.
“Iguessyoucouldsaywe’vemanagedtostayupwiththetimes,”saysRogerWilliams,HaroldandHazel’sson,andcurrentlythepresidentoftheWilliamsSausageCompany.
WilliamsSausageproduceswhole-hogcountry
sausageinchubs,links,pattiesandinbreakfastsandwiches,alineofproductsthatissimilartothoseproducedbyahandfulofotherTennessee-basedsausagecompanies,themajorityofwhichhaveasimilarhomegrownhistorytothatofWilliams.
“Thereweredozensofcompaniesthatstartedassmallfamilyoperations,”saysHarryWomack,whoservedasvicepresidentofqualityassuranceandproductdevelopmentforSaraLeeuntilhis1995retirement.WomackbeganhiscareerwithRudy’sFarmSausage,aNashville-basedsausagecompanywithahistorythatmirrorsthatofWilliamsSausage.
“Whenmostofthesecompaniesstarted,raisinghogswasaneverydaythingforTennesseefarmers,”hesays.“PeopleinTennesseehavegrownupeatingandproducingsausage.”
Theworkforce’sfamiliaritywiththeindustry,plusthestate’scentrallocationinwhatRogerWilliamscalls“thesausagebelt,”areamongtheotherimportantfactorsthathavekeptsausageprocessingastableindustryinTennesseedespitethefactthatswineproductionhasalmost
Well-known Tennessee sausage companies reflect
on humble beginnings
Whole HogGoing
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 37
Breakfast sandwiches are among the items produced by Williams Sausage. The company is still run by the family, which includes the founders’ son Roger Williams and his daughter, son-in-law and brother, David.
exclusivelymigratedtoMidwesternstatessuchasIowa.
Inturn,Tennessee’spositionasahubforsausageprocessinghashelpedtocreateatight-knitcommunityofsausagecompanies,allofwhichprovidemuch-neededruralmanufacturingjobs.
ThecompletedexpansionatWilliamsSausage,forexample,added75newjobstothecompany,takingthetotalnumberofemployeesto375,anumberWilliamshopestocontinuetobuildonoverthenextthreeyears.
“ItseemslikeAmericaisbecomingmoreandmoreconcentratedinthecities,”Williamssays.“Butwethinkitisimportanttoprovidejobsinruralareas.Thatapproachhasbeengoodforourcompanybecausewegetatonofsupportfromthelocalcommunity.”
Historically,manypork-relatedcompanieshavebeenheadquarteredinTennessee,includingbothsausageandcountryhamprocessors,mostofwhichhavegonefromsmall-scalefamilyoperationsliketheonesdescribedbyWomack,tofull-sizedmanufacturingbusinessesthatproduceconveniencesausageitemsforsupermarketsandrestaurantchains.
“Thesecompaniesstartedhereandgrewhere,”Womacksays.“AndIseenoreasonwhytheywon’tstayhereandbeprofitableforyearstocome.”
– Brandon Lowe
Williams Sausage, based in Union City, is sold in close to
40states across the U.S.
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Other Prominent Tennessee Sausage Companies Include:
oDom’S TENNESSEE pRIDE Tennessee Pride was started in 1943 by Douglas Odom Sr., who had been in the meat business his whole life. Odom experimented with spice formulas to create the sausage recipe that is still used today. The Madison-based company is now run by Odom’s grandson, Larry D. Odom, and has 700 employees.
jImmy DEANCountry music singer, television host and actor Jimmy Dean founded his sausage brand in 1969 with his brother Don. Today, the company, located in Newbern, is owned by the Sara Lee Corporation and produces bacon, breakfast bowls, sandwiches and omelets along with its line of sausage products.
GoolSby SAuSAGEJames Goolsby grew up on a farm in Viola, Tenn., where he cured country hams and shoulders and made sausage with his family. He founded Goolsby Sausage Company in 1981 and worked to develop a recipe that tasted like the country sausage his family once made. Goolsby Country Sausage, now a product of James Meat Company, is manufactured in Cookeville.
wAmplER’S fARm SAuSAGE compANyWampler’s Farm Sausage has been a family operation since its beginnings in Riley Wampler’s kitchen back in 1937. The wholesale meat company incorporated in 1953 and was officially named Wampler’s Farm Sausage Company in 1981. Today, the company’s sausage is sold under the Wampler name as well as many private label brands. Its plant is located in the Eaton Crossroads community of Lenoir City.
SwAGGERTy’S SAuSAGE compANyThe recipe for Swaggerty’s Sausage Company’s product began more than 80 years ago on a Sevier County farm in Kodak, where Lonas Swaggerty developed his sausage recipe using hams and tenderloins. Three generations later, the modern processing facility remains in Kodak, and the original sausage recipe is still one of the company’s most popular products.
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ANImALS & LIvESTOCK
Bovine Business
Cattle industry ranks No. 1 in Tennessee agriculture
Tennessee caTTle producer MelMaxwellknowsthevalueofworkingtogetherwithotherproducers.
“Oneofthestrongtraitsoffarmersiswe’reindependentfolks,butwe’velaidthataside,andwe’vebandedtogether,establishingrules,soseveralsmallproducerslikemyselfcanputtogetheranicetruckloadofcattle,”saysMaxwellofCookeville,Tenn.
Thosetruckloadsoflook-alikecattlemeanbiggerprofitsforproducersandmakecattleproductionbigbusinessinthestate.
Maxwell,whousedtotravelthe100milesfromKnoxvilletoCookevilleeveryweekendtohelphisfatherwiththefamilyoperation,eventuallydecidedhelovedraisingcattlemorethananyotherjob.He’snowaretiredfarmer,butstillhelpswiththecattleoperationandservesas
president-electoftheTennesseeCattlemen’sAssociation.
AN ALLIANCE FORMEDBackin2004,Maxwellwasoneof
thechartermembersoftheTennesseeBeefAlliance,agroupofforward-thinkingfarmerswhorealizediftheyproducedsimilarcattle,theycouldattractmorebuyersfortheirbeef.TheycallittheProcessVerifiedProgram.
“Weputtogethersomebylaws,somerulesthatweallhadtofollowandpublishedthose,”Maxwellsays.“Westartedwiththebasicsofgenetics–onlycertainbullscouldbeused–Angus,HerefordandCharolais–inthebeginning.Weweretryingtogetuniformitytomakeallthecattleinaloadcookie-cuttersame–samesize,samecolor,samesex.Byputtingtogetheratruckload,itallowedasmall
producertoleveragehimselfsohecouldactlikeabigproducer.”
Andgetpricesabiggerproducercouldcommand.Theconceptwastogetabetterpriceforcattlegroupedtogetherinaloadthanifthreeorfourcalvesweresoldaloneandthebuyerhadtoputaloadtogether.
“IcansayIdefinitelyfeellikeIgetthemostvalueformycalvespossible,”Maxwellsays.“Wegetabetterpricebecausewebandtogether.”
Therulesincludewhenandhowoftenacalfshouldbevaccinated,whenitcanbeweanedfromitsmotherandstartedonfeed,andwhatweightitshouldbesenttomarket.
“That’swhybuyerslikeourcalvessomuch,”Maxwellsays.“We’llhave50or60biddingonthembyphone,Internet,attheauction.Whenwestarted,wewenttothefeedlots–15ormore–andgotthemtotellus
Mel Maxwell, who raises cattle at his Cookev-ille farm, is one of about 77,000 beef cattle farmers in the state.
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whatkindofcalvestheywanted.Wegotinputfromourcustomers.”
TheAlliancehastransformedthestate’sbeefindustry.
“Weareafairlybigcattlestate–notasbigasTexas–butourcow-calfindustryistheNo.1businessforthestate,”saysJimNeel,UniversityofTennesseeprofessorofanimalscienceandbeefcattlespecialist.
GREENER PASTURESTennessee’saffinityforcattle
comesfromtheenvironmentandanewProcessVerifiedProgramthathelpsfarmersgetmoremoneyfortheircattlebyaddingvalue.
“Wedon’thaveaharshclimate,andofthe5millionacresinagriculturalland,3.5ofthatisinforage,”Neelsays.“Ourterrainisrollingandsubjecttoerosion,whichmakesitperfecttokeepingrass.Mostofourcattlearegrassfed.”
Morethan1millioncows,producedby45,000cattlefarmers,areraisedonthatgrass.
Mostofthestate’s77,000farmersareclassifiedassmall.“Ouraverageherdsizeis23to24headofcattle,”saysCharlesHord,executivevicepresidentoftheTennesseeCattlemen’sAssociation.
“Tennesseeusedtoraisealotoftobacco,”Hordsays.“Whenwegotthetobaccosettlementmoney,weuseditinourTennesseeAgEnhancementProgramtohelpfarmersfindsomethingelsetogrow.Mostofthemturnedtocattle.”
Namely,beefcattle.“Yearsago,inthe’40sand’50s,we
hadalotofdairies,”Neelsays.“AfterWorldWarII,veteranscamehomeandsawtheycouldn’thavetheincometheyneededfromdairycattleandswitchedtobeefcattle.Familieswenttotowntogetjobsbutmaintainedtheircattleherd.That’showweendedupwithsomanysmallfarms–theykeptacow-calfoperationandanotherjoboffthefarm.”
Livestockaccountsforhalfofalltotalagricultureincome,saysNeel,addingthatthedollarsspentinlivestockgivesthestateamultipliereffect.In2010,cattleandcalvesrankedNo.1inthestateoverbeansandbroilerswith$545millioninreceiptsforcow-calfoperations.
TENNESSEE’S Top bEEf cATTlE couNTIES
bEDfoRD
lAwRENcE
GIlES
lINcolN
GREENE
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 43
“Foreverydollarmadeinlivestock,itturnsover2.5to3times,”hesays.“Beefcattleisbigbusiness.”
Oneoftheotherwaysthatbeefismarketedisdirecttoconsumers.NeolaFarmsnearMemphisraisesBlackAnguscattleandsellsthemeatthroughitslocalfarmers’marketanddirectfromthefarmtoconsumersandrestaurants.
Indeed,TennesseeranksfourthinthenationbehindTexas,OklahomaandMissourifornumberofcow-calfproducers.
“WestillhavealongwaystogowithgettingproducerstobuyintotheProcessVerifiedProgram,”Neelsays.“Ithasn’tbeeneasy.Wehadalotofresistanceearlyongettingpeopletounderstandmarketing,butwe’remakingheadway.”
Hordagrees.“IamoptimisticforthefutureofcattleinTennessee,”hesays.“Givenourgeographyandourgrass,wecanaddextraweighttocattlecheaply.Wearewellpositioned.Wehavealotoflandandalotofpeoplewhoenjoyraisingcattle.Anewgenerationissteppingupandmaybebetteratrespondingtowhattheconsumerwants.”
– Charlyn Fargo
Tennessee’s Top Livestock
cATTlE AND cAlvESTennessee’s mild
climate and proximity to fresh water sources make it a prime location
for beef operations, and more than 45,000 cattle producers raise one million cows. The state’s cattle industry represents almost 18
percent of all agricultural cash receipts.
bRoIlERSIn 2010, Tennessee
poultry farmers raised more than 193 million head of broilers, or, chickens grown for meat. The poultry
industry represents a $475 million
contribution to the state’s agricultural
cash receipts and $65 million in exports.
DAIRyEast Tennessee is
home to the state’s top three dairy-
producing counties – Greene, McMinn and Monroe. The Tennessee dairy industry includes 52,000 milk cows,
which produced 850 million pounds of milk
in 2010.
SwINEIn 2010, Tennessee swine producers
raised 185,000 head of swine, a decrease of 20,000 head from the prior year. Yet, cash receipts were
up, with $51 million in swine cash receipts.
mEAT GoATSThe state ranks second nationally in meat goat production, yet most operations are small
with less than 15 head per farm. According to a recent study, most meat goat producers
do not rely on the farm operation as a sole source of income.
More than 1 million cows graze on Tennessee’s lush, green grass each year. The state’s rolling terrain and some 3.5 million acres of forage-friendly agricultural land makes beef cattle its most lucrative commodity.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 45
ANImALS & LIvESTOCK
I tmayseemironicthatfundsfromtobacco,acropthatTennesseefarmersusedtoproducebutnowtypicallydon’t,arehelpingfarmersprosper.Sinceits
startin2005,theTennesseeAgriculturalEnhancementProgram(TAEP),fundedwith$5millionintobaccosettlementfunds,hasbenefitedfarmersacrossthestate,manyofwhomarebeefproducers.
“Afterthetobaccobuyout,allthemoneywentbackintothebudgettohelpthestate,”saysJustinBryant,directorofTAEP.“In2005,itwastimetodosomethingwiththeextrarevenue.TheydecidedtousesomeofthatmoneytostartTAEP–tomakealong-terminvestmentinfarming.”
Fivedifferentproducerprogramsweresetup,rangingfromlivestocktocropfarming.
“Wefacedsomecutbacks,butournewgovernorworkedtogetitfundedto$21million,”Bryantsays.
ForeverydollarthattheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculturespendsthroughTAEP,another$3.89isgeneratedinthestate’seconomy,accordingtoaUniversityofTennesseestudy.Bymid-2012,TAEPisexpectedtohaveinvested$115millionthroughagriculturalgrantandcost-shareopportunities.Thatcalculatestoanestimated$447millionpumpedintothestate’seconomy,inadditiontothecreationofanestimated4,654jobs,thestudyfinds.
TAEP’sprimaryfunctionprovidescost-sharefundsforlong-terminvestmentsonfarmswithlivestockorcrops.Anestimated$83millionwillhavehelpedfundnearly29,000farmprojectsfrom2005throughmid-2012,Bryantsays.Meanwhile,farmershaveusedtheirownmoneytopayfor50percentto65percentoftheseprojects.Farmerswhocommittoaneducationprogram,oftenthroughtheUniversityofTennesseeExtension,becomeeligiblefor50percentfunding.
Farmerscanqualifyfor$1,200to$15,000incost-share,dependingontheprogramarea.
Thefundinghelpsalltypesoffarms:cattle,poultry,pigs,sheep,goats,corn,soybeans,smallgrains,fruits,vegetables,horticulture,viticultureoragritourism.
Projectsrangefrombuyingaccesstohigherqualitybullstoconstructingagrainstoragebin.Inbetween,farmershavebuiltgreenhouses,addedspecialanimalhandlingequipmentandpurchasedfeedsystems.
Bryantsaystheprogramismeetingitsintendedpurposes:increasefarmprofits,improveefficiencyandmakefarmssafer.Meanwhile,improvedpractices,incomeandeducationonfarmsthroughoutthestateenhancethereputationofTennesseeagriculture.
Inarecentprogramsurvey,morethan86percentoffarmerssaidTAEPhelpedthemimprovetheirfarm’sefficiency,andmorethan67percentsaidithadincreasedfarmprofits.About21percentrespondedthattheywerenotsuretheywouldstillbefarmingorindicatedtheywouldnotbefarmingwithoutTAEP’shelp.
– Joanie Stiers and Charlyn Fargo
Programimprovesfarmprofits,stimulateseconomyFarm Futures Flourish
86 percent of Tennessee farmers say TAEP
has helped them improve farm efficiencies.
TAEPhashelpedfundnearly29,000 on-farm projectsforTennesseeproducers.
Every $1 investment by TAEP generates $3.89 for rural economies.
$ $$$$
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ANImALS & LIvESTOCK
sargeanT James (J.d.) harber had no idea he’d one day be able tocombinehisloveforhorsesandhispoliceuniform.
“IwasintheTennesseeWalkingHorseindustryinthe’70sand’80s,”saysHarber,founderoftheNashvilleHorseMountedPatrolUnit.“IlivedinWisconsinforawhileandtrainedhorses,andatthesametime,studiedlawenforcement.WhenIfinished,theNashvilleMetroPolicehiredme.Thatwas1981.In1996,mylifecamefullcircle.”
HORSES’ GAITS ARE CITy’S GAINAfterbeinghired,hewroteaproposalforestablishingaMountedPatrol,butitsat
inadraweruntil1998.Theneverythingcametogether–anewmayorfamiliarwithaMountedPatrol,andtheTitansfootballfranchisecomingtoNashvillewherepoliceonhorsebackcouldbehelpfulincrowdcontrol.
“SomeonerememberedmyproposalandaskedmeifIwasstillinterested,”Harbersays.“IwenttoD.C.totalktotheCapitolpolicewhousedhorses,thenspenttimeinLexingtonlearningabouttheirMountedPatrol,andIcamebackandputittogether.Ihadalotofhelp.”
HechoseTennesseeWalkingHorsesfortheirgait–theyaremoresure-footedandfasterontheasphaltstreets.
Tennessee is home to more than 140,000 horses, mules and burros
EquineEquipped for
Nashville Metro Police Mounted Patrol Officers Karen Krause and Rita Harden ride Tennessee Walking Horses while on duty at Green Hills Mall. The Mounted Patrol uses Walkers because the breed is sure-footed and fast on asphalt streets.
Equine
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 47
48 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
3.2 MILLION
AcRES of ThE STATE’S
10 MILLION fARm AcRES ARE uSED foR EquINE.
TENNESSEE IS homE To moRE ThAN
135 EquINE DESTINATIoNS.
Top EquINE couNTIESBedford: highest number of horses and ponies
Wilson: highest number of mules, burros and donkeys
how TENNESSEE RANkS
6Th foR hoRSES AND poNIES oN fARmS
2ND foR mulES, buRRoS AND DoNkEyS oN fARmS
Top Five Equine Breeds in Tennessee 1. Tennessee Walking Horse
2. Quarter Horse
3. Donkey
4. Mule
5. Spotted Saddle Horse
WhileTennesseeisprobablybestknownforitsnamesakeTennesseeWalkingHorses,thestateisalsowell-knownwithintheequineindustryformules.Infact,MauryCountyisconsideredthe“Mule Capital of the World,”andisthesiteofMuleDay,a170-year tradition.
What’s Online Visit PickTnProducts.org and click on Equine Resources for a free Tennessee Trail Guide.
bEDfoRD
wIlSoN
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 49
“Westartedwithsixhorses,donatedbytheTennesseeWalkingHorseAssociation–someofthosehorsesarestillwithus,”Harbersays.“Ilikeagaitedhorse.There’ssomuchyoucandowithit.Theyhaveaneventemperament,andyoucantakeariderwithoutexperienceandgethimconfidentinhisseat.Hedoesn’thavetolearntopost.AWalkingHorseslidesalongthepavement,whileatypicaltrottinghorsebreakscontactwiththeground.”
Eachyear,theMountedPatrolputsonaschoolforotherpolicedepartments.“AbiggerdrafthorsewillbesweatingtokeepupwithourWalkers,”Harbersaysproudly.“TheadvantageofanyMountedPatrolisthatpeoplecanfinduseasilyinacrowd,andwecanseewhat’sgoingoninacrowd.TheMountedPatrolispartofourhomelandsecurity.”
HisNo.1horseisaWalkernamedJoey.“He’sabigsorrel,andwe’vebeentogetherfor13
years,”Harbersays.“Wehavearelationship–andthat’swhatittakestodealwithcrowdsandfireworks.Youhavetoknowyourhorse,andyourhorseknowsyou.”
NOT JUST HORSING AROUNDNamedforthestate,theWalkingHorsehasbeenone
ofthemostpopularhorsesintheabundantequineindustry.Tennesseehasmorethan200,000horses,and3.2millionacresofthestate’s10billionfarmacresaredevotedtothehorseindustry,accordingtoBridgettMcIntosh,ahorsespecialistwiththeUniversityofTennesseeExtension.
“That’s30percentofourlandforhorses–ahugetaxbase,butit’salsoagreatnumberofpeopleinvolvedinthehorseindustry,”McIntoshsays.
ThelastU.S.DepartmentofAgricultureNationalAg
StatisticsSurveyrankedTennesseesixthinthenationfornumbersofhorses,behindTexas,California,Kentucky,OklahomaandMissouri.Thestaterankssecondinthenationfornumbersofdonkeysandmules(behindTexas),andsecondinthecountryfornumbersofquarterhorses.MulesraisedbytheReeseBrothersinMauryCountyinTennesseeareindemandasGrandCanyonguidesandfordowntownbuggiesinCharleston,S.C.
“Backinthe2004survey,therewereover60,000headofTennesseeWalkingHorsesandabout45,000quarterhorses,”McIntoshsays.“Thosenumbershaveshiftednow.TheTennesseeWalkingHorseisourmostwell-knownbreed,butquarterhorsesareequaltoorexceedingtheirnumbersbecausetheyaresopopulartoshowanduseontrails.”
Thestatehasmorethan50equinetrails,whichhavebecomehugetourismdraws,andhasoneofthebestrodeoprogramsattheUniversityofTennesseeatMartin,andoneofthelargesthighschoolrodeoassociations.HorsesarealsousedforharnessracinginLincolnCounty,andaSteeplechaseinNashville.Butthebiggestdemandisforpleasurehorsesandtrailriding.
“We’reunique–wecangrowwarm-seasongrassesandcold-seasongrasses,”McIntoshsays.“Thatprovidesanextendedgrazingseasonforourhorses.
“Ican’timagineTennesseewithouthorses,”shesays.“Backin2004,wehad41,000horseoperations,mostwithlessthanfivehorses.Alotofmyworknowisinsustainablehorsemanagement.Asthestateisincreasinglyurban,wehavemoreandmorehorsefarmettes–5acreswithacoupleofhorses.Peoplewanttoknowhowtoprovidethenutritionforthosehorsesandstillprotecttheenvironment.”
– Charlyn Fargo
From left: Tennessee’s 50-plus equine trails draw riders to rural areas; a horse grazes in Bedford County, home of the highest number of horses and ponies in the state.
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50 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
The Tennessee solar insTiTuTe’s mission is To promoTe energy independenceandprovideamoresustainablefuturethoughsolarpower.However,thereasonsforchoosingsolarpowerarealittledifferentforagricultureproducerTimHitchcockofDayLilyNurseryinRockIsland.
“Ihadalwaysbeeninterestedinsolarpowerfromthestandpointofenergyself-sufficiencyandenvironmentalresponsibility,plusitjustseemedcool,”Hitchcocksays.
Asagrowingindustrythatofferssmallagriculturalentitiescleanandefficientresultswithoutdrasticallydisturbingthelandscape,solarfarmsaresproutingupalloverTennessee.
Thesolarfarmsacrossthestateexistonaslittleasoneacreoflandanduseground-mountedphotovoltaic(PV)panels,generating1megawattofelectricityonaround5,000panels.Thesun’srayshitthePVpanelsandareconvertedfromdirectcurrentenergytoalternatingcurrentenergyanduseableelectricity.AccordingtotheU.S.EnergyInformationAdministration,themonthlyaverageelectricityconsumedbyaTennesseehomein2010was1,393kilowatt-hours.Onemegawattequals1,000kilowatts,soevenaone-acrefarmcanmakeabigimpactonthestate’senergyneeds.
“Weareseeingsmallagentitiesputtingsolarraysontheirdairybarnsorinfieldstosupplementtheirincome,”saysChrisDavis,communicationsmanagerfortheTennesseeSolarInstituteattheUniversityof
Solar panels pop up on Tennessee farms
Here Comes
Sun the
ENvIrONmENT & CONSErvATION
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 51
Tim Hitchcock uses solar panels to supplement the power at Day Lily Nursery in Rock Island.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 53
TennesseeinKnoxville.“TheTennesseeValleyAuthoritypaystheproducerforalltheelectricitygenerated,andtheproducerbuystheenergybackatalowerrate.”
Thankstogovernmentgrants,DayLilyNurseryisoneagribusinessthathasaddedasolarfarm.
“Theprocessofapplyingforthegrantswasthemosttimeconsuming,”Hitchcocksays.“Theconstructionwentrathersmoothly.Theincomeitgeneratesispayingforitinatimelymanner,andIhavemanyvisitorswholovetohearaboutsolarenergy.”
Wampler’sFarmSausageinstalledtwosolarsystemsatitsfacilityinLenoirCity.Thesystemsaretopping500kilowattsinenergygeneration,whichissavingmoneythatcanthenbereinvestedbackintothebusiness.
“Thecostofsolarelectricityisrapidlyapproachingthecostofelectricityproducedthroughtraditionalmeans,”saysDr.JohnSanseverino,directorofprogramsfortheTennesseeSolarInstitute.“Formanystates,Tennesseeinparticular,that’saneconomicdriver.”
Inadditiontocomparableprices,solarenergyoffersmanyotherbenefits.
“Incontrasttootheralternativefuels,solarenergyprovidescleanair,isrenewableanddecreasesdependencyonimportedoilandcoal,”Dr.Sanseverinosays.
Notonlydoessolarenergyhelptheenvironment,italsohelpsTennessee’seconomy.
“Thenation’ssolarindustrygrew69percentlastyear,oneoftheonlyindustriesthatisseeinggrowthandjobcreationduringtougheconomictimes,”Dr.Sanseverinosays.
Tennesseeisoutinfrontintermsofsolarenergydevelopedandalsosolareducation.TheWestSolarFarmofHaywoodCountyhasbeenconstructedadjacenttoInterstate40.Thesolarfarmiscomplete,buttheownersplantobuildaninteractivewelcomecentertohelptravelersunderstandtheroleofsolarenergyinlesseningenergydependence.
– Kirby Smith
moRE ThAN 200 oRGANIzATIoNS AND buSINESSES ARE pART of TENNESSEE’S GRowING
SolAR INDuSTRy, wITh A GRowTh of 15 buSINESSES IN 2010 AloNE.
TheTennesseeSolarInstitute’sgrantprogramshaveleveragedmorethan$40.3 millioninprivateinvestmentsanda$64 millionbenefittothestate’seconomy.
The owners of Wampler’s Farm Sausage in Lenoir City installed a 28.05 kW solar photovoltaic system.
The expected market for the solar industry worldwide over the
next 10 years is
$2.2trillion
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54 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
ENvIrONmENT & CONSErvATION
Deeply RootedFarmland Legacy Partnership works to keep state’s family farms in business
rolling acres Farm has been in lucille Ryan’sfamilyforsevengenerations.At84,sheisturningitovertoherson,whowillmanagethebeefcattleoperation.AndshehopeshergrandsonwillonedaybetheninthgenerationonthatlandinHawkinsCounty.
SodoestheTennesseeFarmlandLegacyPartnership,agroupofadozengovernment,universityandnonprofitagenciesworkingtoraiseawarenessaboutthestate’sagriculturalhistoryandtheimportanceoffarmlandtoitsfuture.Tennesseehas77,300farms,accordingtotheNationalAgriculturalStatisticsService,butbetween2000and2010,thestatelostanaverageof1,000familyfarmsand95,000acrestootheruseseachyear.
Thecostsarereal–lesslandforfoodproduction,fewerruraljobsanddiminishedscenicbeauty,saysJoeGaines,assistantcommissionerfortheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 55
Rooted
56 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
“ I would like it to be passed down like this, as a farm. It is important to me. ” – lucIllE RyAN
The family of Lucille Ryan, her son Timothy and his children, Collin and Leah, has owned Rolling Acres Farm in Rogersville since 1789.
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“Peopleliketobeabletodrive20minutesandseethecountry.Wehavegreenfieldsandtreesandcowsandbarns.Itispartofourheritage,”Gainessays.“Farmlandhasavaluethatshouldbeconsideredwithinthedevelopmentprocess.”
MAkING IT WORkFivestatedepartmentsandtwofederalagencies,plus
CumberlandRegionTomorrow,theMTSUCenterforHistoricPreservation,TheLandTrustforTennessee,theTennesseeFarmBureauFederationandUT’sInstituteofAgriculturecametogetherastheFarmlandLegacyPartnershipinFebruary2010.TheLandTrustacquireseasementsonfarmstopermanentlyprotecttheland.
TheMTSUcenterrunstheCenturyFarmsprogram,whichcertifiesandrecognizesTennesseefarmsthatare100,150and200yearsold.AsofDecember2011,Tennesseehadmorethan1,400CenturyFarms,saysCanetaHankins,directoroftheprogram.
Recognitionhelpsboostawarenessandagriculturaltourism,butakeytofarmlandpreservationismakingfarmingitselfprofitable,Gainessays.
Tothatend,theTennesseeAgriculturalEnhancementProgramoffersgrantstohelpfarmerspayforhoophouses,irrigationandhaybarns.Morethan4,000haybarnswerebuiltinthelastfiveyears,generating4,500jobsinruralTennessee,Gainessays.Farmershadtomatchthegrantamountwiththeirownfunds.
HecitesanOctober2011studybytheUniversityofTennesseethatfoundevery$1investedinagriculturegenerates$3.89inadditionaleconomicimpact.
GOING LOCALEffortstopreserveTennessee’sfarmlandsdovetail
withincreasedinterestinlocallysourcedfood.“Idothinkmorepeopleappreciatelocalfoodsand
localfarms,”Gainessays.TheCenturyFarmsprogramseesarushofnew
applicationsearlyintheyearfromearly20thcenturyfarmshittingtheircentennialyear,Hankinssays.
Toqualify,farmsmusthaveatleast10acresoftheoriginalfounders’land,beeninthefamilycontinuouslyforatleast100years,produceatleast$1,000ayearinfarmincomeandhaveatleastoneownerwhoisaTennesseeresident.
RollingAcresmeetsthoserequirementsquiteeasily.ThefarmingoperationbeganinRogersvillein1789andthroughgenerationsproducedtraditionalEastTennesseecropsaswellashoney,lyesoap,chicken,
turkeyandeggs.Formuchofthe20thcentury,thefarmwasalarge-scaledairyoperationrunbyRyan’sfather,thefounders’great-greatgrandson.LucilleRyan’slatehusbandswitchedtobeefcattlein1989.RollingAcresalsoproducescorn,wheatandhayforitscattle.
“Wetriedeverythinglikemostfarmersdo,”shesays.Thesenseoffamilyheritagehasbeenoneconstant.“Iwouldlikeittobepasseddownlikethis,asafarm,”
Ryansays.“Itisimportanttome.” – Pamela Coyle
fRom 2000 To 2010, TENNESSEE loST AbouT 1,000 fAmIly fARmS AND 95,000 AcRES of fARmlAND EAch yEAR.
58 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
CONSumEr & INDuSTry SErvICES
wheTher iT’s a Jar oF Jam, abottleofbarbecuesauceorapieceofpie,ifit’smadeinTennessee,it’sgoingtobemorethanjusttasty.It’salsogoingtobemadewithcare.TheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA)makessureofitthroughtheeffortsofitsFoodSafetysectionoftheRegulatoryServicesDivision.
“Iliketosaythatweaddresseverythingfromthestabletothetable,fromthegatetotheplate,fromthefarmtothefork,fromthegrasstotheglass,fromtheboattothethroat,andfromthedelitothebelly,”saysJohnSanford,TDAfoodmanufacturingadministrator.
Whatdotheydotoensuretheintegrityofthefoodchain?Sanford,a35-yearTDAemployee,explainsthat
it’sarecipethatrequiresequalpartsdiligentinspectionefforts,strongcollaborationandresponsiveness.
Frominspectingdairyfarms,foodmanufacturingfacilitiesandcommercialkitchenstosamplingfinishedfoodproductsforlaboratorytesting,Sanford’steamworkstoprotecttheconsumerandmaintainafairmarketplace.
HOME SWEET HOMEAchievingthosegoalsmayseem
straightforward–sendoutinspectors,evaluatethefacilityandmanufacturingprocess,andtesttheproduct.
Manyofthestate’sfoodinspectionteamalsoworkinthestate-of-the-artL.H.“Cotton”IvyLaboratory,locatedatEllingtonAgriculturalCenterinNashville.
However,ensuringthatfoodis
safesometimesrequiresalittlecreativityonthepartoftheTDAinspectors,especiallywhenfacedwithagrowingindustryofhome-basedfoodbusinesses.
“Wesawthatthereweremoreandmorepeoplelookingtobuildabusinessbypreparingproductsfromtheirownrecipesintheirownhomesandsellingthemtothepublic,”Sanfordsays.“Thisisn’tafad,it’satrend,andwewantedtoberesponsivetotheinterestsoftheentrepreneurswhileprotectingthehealthofthepublic.”
Toaccomplishthat,theTDAinitiatedaprograminJanuary2007fordomestickitchensthatallowsthein-homepreparationoffoodforretailsaleaslongasthefooddoesnotrequirerefrigeration.Forinstance,youcanmakecandiesandbreadsin
State inspectors ensure food safety and quality
Recipe Successfor
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 59
yourhome,butnotcheesecakes.Also,entrepreneursmustsuccessfullycompleteasix-hourcourseonfoodsafetytaughtbyUniversityofTennesseefoodsciencefacultyandmusthaveakitchenthatmeetsanestablishedsetofsafety,equipmentandarchitecturalguidelines.
“Safetyoffoodpreparedinahomeandsoldatafarmersmarketisofnolesssignificancethanfoodspreparedcommerciallyandofferedforsale,”Sanfordsays.
kEEPING IT LOCALSincetheprogrambegan,more
than800peoplehavetakenthecourseandmorethan125domestickitchenshavebeenestablished.ForTennesseeentrepreneursandconsumers,it’sgoodbusiness.
“Thedomestickitchenruleallows
anentrepreneurtotestthemarketplacewithoutincurringthecostsofaseparateprocessingfacility,whichcanmeanthousandsofdollarssavedinstart-upcosts,”Sanfordexplains.
Italsoencouragestheideaof“buyinglocal.”Notonlydoconsumerssupportareabusinessesatfarmersmarketsandothersuchvenues,buttheentrepreneurssupportlocalfarmersthroughthepurchaseoftheiringredients.
Suchresponsivenessandcollaborationcreatesafavorablebusinessclimateandensuresconsumerconfidence.
“We’reveryproudofwhereweareinfoodsafetyinTennessee,”Sanfordsays.
– Cathy Lockman
26Tennessee Department of
Agriculture chemists perform testing to ensure
the safety of our food.
Dr. Amitabha Chakrabarti, a chemist for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, checks samples in the department’s food safety lab.
60 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
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M ikeWeekshasturnedaweekendbarbecuesaucecompetitionintoa
business,andapartnershipwiththeCumberlandCulinaryCenterismakingtheentrepreneur’slifealittlebiteasier.Weeks,theownerofSouthernCityFlavors,hadgottenusedtotheeight-hourroundtripdrivefromhishomeinTennesseetotheIndianafacilitythatmettheproductionrequirementsforhissauceandjelly-makingbusiness.Butnowthathe’sfoundakitchenclosetohome,hisbusinessisreallycooking.
“It’swell-suitedformyoperationofbottlingjamsandjellies,”explainsWeeks.“Andithaslabelinganddatecodingmachinesthathelpmecreateamoreprofessional-lookingproductwhilekeepingmecompliantwithallfoodsafetyregulations.”
The2,400-square-footfacilityinLebanonisajointprojectoftheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA),theU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture,CumberlandUniversityandtheWilsonCountyschoolsystem.Openedin2010,itisalicensedcommercialkitchenthatcanberentedbyTennesseefoodentrepreneursfortheirownfood-processingoperations.
“ThecenterisagreatassettothemiddleTennesseearea,”saysLindaShelton,agriculturalmarketingspecialistforTDA.“CompaniesareabletospendtimeandfundsongrowingandmarketingtheirTennesseebrandproductsratherthanincurringtheexpenseofhavingtheirownproductionkitchen.”
OrinWeeks’case,drivingto
anotherstatetouseone.
STIRRING UP MORE BUSINESSSueSykesisthevolunteer
kitchenmanageroftheCumberlandCulinaryCenter.Aspresidentofherowncompany,TennesseeGourmet,sheknowsfirsthandwhatentrepreneursneedandworkstoprovideit.
“Weoffertrainingforthebusinessesinfoodsanitation,equipmentoperationandkitchenprotocols,”shesays.“We’realsoavailabletosupervisetheiroperationuntilthey’recomfortablewiththeprocess.”
Sykes,andherhusband,GaryDummer,arealsoresponsibleforopening,closingandmaintainingthekitcheneachday,forensuringthatthefoodsafetyprogramisinfullcomplianceandforcalibratingthemachines–moretasksthattheentrepreneurdoesn’thavetoworry
about.Theyalsoorganizebulkpurchasingforglasscontainerstocreateadditionalsavingsforthebusinessesthatusethecenter.
Andit’snotjustbusinessesthatbenefit.TheLebanoncommunitydoes,too,throughaccesstolocallymadeproductsandthroughopportunitiesforlocalstudentstoexplorefoodproductionprocessesbyvisitingthecenter.
It’saconceptthat’scatchingonacrossthestate,withsimilarfacilitiesoperatinginCannon,MontgomeryandHamiltoncountiesandwithseveralothercommunitiesexpressinginterestinprovidingsuchaservice.
“It’sanopportunityforsmall-scaleproducerstousecommercial-scalefacilitiestobuildtheirbusinesses,”Sykessays.“That’sabenefitforeveryone.”
– Cathy Lockman
EntrepreneursfindaresourceincommercialkitchensWhat’s Cooking?
Mike Weeks of Southern City Flavors cooks at the Cumberland Culinary Center in Lebanon.
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CONSumEr & INDuSTry SErvICES
H aveyoueverwonderedwhatwouldhappenifyoudroveawayfromagasstationwith
thefuelnozzlestillinyourtank?Wouldtherebedamagetoyourvehicleandgasolinepouringoutontothepavement?
WhiletheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculturecan’tfixyourcarorcureyourembarrassment,theinspectorsinitsWeightsandMeasuresdivisiondoworktopreventagasspillhazard.That’sbecausethey’reresponsibleforinspectingeverygaspumpeveryyeartobesurethateverypumpisequippedwithashearvalvethatisdesignedtoshutoffthefuelflowifapumpisdislodged.
Theinspectorstakesamplesfromeachlocationinthestatethatconveysmotorfuelsandheatingoils–testingmorethan8,000samplesperyearfortestssuchasoctane,waterandsediment,andotherparameterstoensurethatthefuelmeetscompliancestandards.Theinspectorsalsochecktheactualfueldispenserstobesuretheyareproperlylabeledandcalibrated,sothatconsumerscanrelyontheaccuracyofwhattheyseeonthepump.
Gaspumpsaren’ttheonlydevicestheinspectorstest.Fromgrocerystorescalestotruckandlivestockscales,theinspector’sjobistoverifytheaccuracyofthenearly19,000scalesinbusinessesacrossthestate.
“We’reathirdpartythatworkstoprotecttheconsumerandeducatethebusiness,”saysBobWilliams,administratorofWeightsandMeasures.Heexplainsthatalthough99percentoftheirinspectionsareunannounced,theirjobisn’tadversarial.
“Ourinspectorsworkwithmanagementtohelpthemunderstandtherules,”hesays.“WevisitretailstorestodocheckweighingandtoverifythatscannedUPCcodesmatchpricesontheshelf.”Ifdiscrepanciesarefound,Williamssays,theinspectorsprovideguidance,allowashorttimefortheretailertofixtheproblem,andthencomebacktore-inspect.
Anotherimportantfunctionoftheunitisthetestingofliquidpropanegasandbulkfuelmeters.
Suchbehind-the-scenesworkmeansthattheinspectorsdon’tinterfacewiththepublicveryoften.
“However,ifconsumersareconcernedabouttheaccuracyofa
fuelpump,forinstance,andthey’vetalkedtothestationwithoutsatisfaction,theycancontactusat1-800-OCTANE1andwe’lllookintoit,”Williamssays.
– Cathy Lockman
TennesseeinspectorstestscalesandgasolinepumpsMeasuring Up
Tennessee inspectors evaluate the accuracy
of more than
18,000scales across the state
each year.
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TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 63
CONSumEr & INDuSTry SErvICES
A schiefinvestigatorfortheAgriculturalCrimeUnit,MaxThomasleadsateam
thatcoversalotofterritory.Withresponsibilitiesforinvestigatingeverythingfromlivestockthefttowildfirearsonin95countiesand15stateforestsinTennessee,thenineinvestigatorsinhisunitareonthefrontlinesofensuringthesafetyandsecurityofruralcommunitiesinthestate.
“We’reasmallgroupwithalargejobtodo,”Thomassays.“Wecollaboratewithlocallawenforcementtohelpsolvefarmanimalandfarmequipmenttheft.Wehandleallcrimesthatoccurinthestateforests,andweinspecttruckscarryinglivestocktobesurethey’reincompliancewithstatehealthregulations.Ourunitalsoisresponsibleforinvestigatingwildfirearson.”
Infact,thewildfirearsoncasesrepresentthebulkoftheinvestigators’work.Thomassaysthatofthe600crimestheunitinvestigatedin2010,nearly65percentofthemwerearsonrelated.Theteam’sexpertiseandspecializedtraining,primarilyfromtrainingattheFBIacademyinGeorgia,havepaidoffforthepeopleofTennessee.
“Wehavereducedthenumberofarsoncasesalmostinhalfoverthepast10years,”Thomassays.Heattributesthatsuccessto“diligentinvestigations,makingarrestsandpublicizingthecasesandtheresults,”whichdeterwould-bearsonists.Infact,theAgCrimeUnithasbeenrecognizednationwideforitsexpertiseandinnovationinwildfirearson
investigation,havingreceivedtheNationalSmokeyBearAwardandrecognitionfromtheInternationalAssociationofArsonInvestigators.
ExPECT THE UNExPECTEDAlthoughtheunitconsidersno
crimesroutine,therearesomethatcanmakeeventhemostseasonedinvestigatorsshaketheirheads,explainsThomas,himselfa28-yearveteranofthestate’sDepartmentofAgriculture.
Forinstance,thestate’sforestshavebeenthescenesofcrimesagainstunexpectedvictims.
“Thereareforgottencemeteries
inthestateforestswherepeoplefromthemidtolate1800sareburied,”Thomassays.“We’vehadtoinvestigatecaseswherecriminalsusingmetaldetectorshavevandalizedthesecemeteriessearchingfortheswordsandbeltbucklesoftheCivilWarveteransburiedthere.”
That’swhytheAgCrimeUnitistrainedtoexpecttheunexpected.
“Ourtrainingandexperience,plusourfocusonbuildingrelationshipsinthecommunities,helpkeeptheruralareassafer,”Thomassays.
– Cathy Lockman
AgriculturalCrimeUnitworkswithfarmerstosolvefarm-relatedcrimesandensureruralsafety
Fighting On-Farm Crimes
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64 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
INTErNATIONAL TrADE
From unique pasta to marinades and green
beans, Tennessee’s food exports fill demand for
niche productsFooDS
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 65
Tennessee
Go GlobalFooDS
66 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
when mosT people ouTside theUnitedStatesthinkaboutwhatproductscomefromTennessee,theirfirstresponseistypicallyJackDanielsandElvisPresley.
AsaninternationalmarketingspecialistwiththeTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture(TDA),KyleHolmberghearsitallthetime.Butintruth,thestatehasquiteadiverseandgrowingrangeofexports,especiallyfoodproducts.MajorbrandswithrootsinTennesseeincludesomewell-knownbrandslikeBush’sBeans,YoPlaitandPringles,butthelistalsoincludessurprisingbrandslikeTastiD-Liteyogurt,whichin2011expandedwithshopsinAustralia.
Theyogurtcompany,alongwithotherTennesseecompaniesthatproducevalue-addedfoods,aretappingintobigNorthAmericanmarketssuchasCanadaandMexicoandalsoseegrowinginterestfromotherpartsoftheglobe,includingAsia,SouthAmericaandEurope.
Themostsuccessfulcompaniesproduceanicheproductanddon’ttrytobeeverythingtoeveryone,saysHolmberg,whoisTennessee’srepresentativewiththeSouthernUnitedStatesTradeAssociation,orSUSTA.Hecoordinatestheregion’smarketingforsixinternationalfoodandagricultureeventseachyearaswellashelpscompaniesfindpotentialnewmarketsfortheirproducts.
“Itcanbedifficulttocompetewiththebignames,”hesays.“Nicheproducts,qualityproducts–that’swhatmakesthesell.”
SNOOPy SELLS – IN JAPANThePastaShoppe,basedin
Nashville,makespastawithunique,funshapesandhasavidcustomersinJapan,whereatasteforAmericanatranslatesintonearlyhalfamillionbagsofpastaannually,saysJohnAron,presidentandCEO.
“Ourproductfits,”Aronsays.“TheylikeourHalloweenpasta,snowflake,EasterandValentine’sDaypastas.”
ThePastaShoppeevenmakesa
SnoopypastafortheJapanesemarket.DisneyswitchedproductionofitslicensedshapesandcharactersfromamanufacturerinItalytoThePastaShoppewhentherecessionhit.
Seventy-fivepercentofthecompany’ssalesstartonline,includingadealthatlandednoveltypastainGuatemala,Aronsays.
“Thisisafemale-targetedbusiness,andvarietyisthedifferentiator,”hesays.
OtherTennessee-specialtyfoodsdowellabroad,too.LynchburgCakeandCandy,aJackDaniels’neighbor,makeswhiskey-tingedcakes,candiesandpralines.AllegroFineFoods,basedinParis,Tenn.,producespopularmarinadesandsaucesthatincludespecialtyitemssuchasRaspberry&ChipotleMarinade,Soy&LimeMarinadeandamarinadeformulatedforgamemeat.
GREEN BEANS DIRECT TO CANADAThestate’sfreshproductsalsosee
opportunitiesonagrandscale.TennesseeVegetablePackers,a
family-ownedbusinessinitsfourthgeneration,specializesingreenbeansbutalsocultivatesbutterbeans,peas,greenandyellowsquash,eggplant,cucumbers,corn,bellpepperandcabbageonnearly5,000acresinthreestates.BasedinCrossville,thecompanyownsmuchoftheacreageitselfbutalsorepresentsfarmerswiththeirownland.
Canada,especiallytheTorontoarea,isagrowingmarket,saysLewisWalker,presidentofTennesseeVegetablePackers.
“WearegrowingadarkergreenbeanspecificallyfortheTorontomarketandalsoshipwaxbeans,whichisnotsomethingpeopleintheSouthbuy,”hesays.“CanadianshavealwayseatenmorevegetablespercapitathanintheU.S.,andit’sagoodmarketforus.”
Tennesseealsoisastrongexporterofcommodities,apositionexpectedtostrengthenwiththeopeningofthePortofCatesLandinglaterin2012.Thiswillbeabusyyear–SUSTAisbringingTennessee
BEVERAGESTop markets: United kingdom,
France, Germany 2011 value: $584 million
FATS AND OILS
Top markets: Canada, Djibouti2011 value: $84.4 million
CHOCOLATETop markets: Canada, Mexico
2011 value: $29.86 million
FLOUR PRODUCTS
Top markets: Canada, Bahamas$2.4 million
PREPARED VEGETABLES
Top markets: Canada, Japan2011 value: $2.6 million
TENNESSEE’S Top vAluE-ADDED
AGRIculTuRAl ExpoRTS
productsandproducerstotradeshowsinGermany,Argentina,Spain,India,Japan,China,Taiwan,Singapore,theNetherlands,NewZealand,AustraliaandFrance–aswellashostingmultipleinbounddelegationsfromabroad.
– Pamela Coyle
800 miles
500 miles
INTErNATIONAL TrADE
68 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
Tennessee’s newesT porT siTs in The cenTer oF a mulTisTaTe agriculturalregionandopensupopportunitieswithChinaandothergrowingAsianmarketsthatdemandcotton,grainandmeat.
ThePortofCatesLanding,locatedontheMississippiRivernearthenorthwestTennesseetownofTiptonville,boastsaproximitytointerstates55,155,40,24and69,plusmajorairandrailfreightcentersofMemphisandtheCanadianNationalRailwayline.
Itslocationwasstrategic,butnotwithoutchallenge.TheportisbuiltontheonlydevelopablesiteontheMississippiRiverabovethe100-yearfloodplainbetweenMemphisandCairo,Ill.Anditssurroundingareasarehighlyagricultural.
ThesefactorsgiveCatesLandinganedgeininternationaltrade,saysEdHarlan,TennesseeDepartmentofAgricultureDirectorofAgricultureandForestryDevelopment.
Gains Global
Cates Landing connects Northwest Tennessee to Asian, South
American markets
800 miles
500 miles
cATES lANDING
Mis
siss
ippi
Riv
er
NEw oRlEANS
mEmphIS
• Only developable site on the Mississippi River above the 100-year flood plain between Memphis, Tenn., and Cairo, Ill.
• Close proximity to five major interstates• Midpoint along corridor connecting Canada and Mexico• Near world’s largest freight airport and rail center, Memphis• Located in Tennessee Valley Authority service area
The fA c T S :
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 69
70 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
(931) 388-7872 ext. 2763
Visit www.tnfarmfresh.com for a listing of local farmers.
Buy from a local farmer and
Enjoy the Best that Tennessee has to offer!
GRAIN, COTTON ARE TOP PICkS“Weseehugepotentialforgrainto
comeoutoftheport,”Harlansays.“CountriessuchasChinaandJapanhavedevelopedatasteforahigher-proteindietbuttheydon’thavethelandmasstoproducegraintofeedchickenandbeef.We’vealsohadagroupfromChinalookingatourefficient,moderncottonpickers.InChina,muchofthecottonisstillhandpicked.
“InWestTennessee,bigfieldsgoonformiles,”Harlansays.“Theeconomiesofscalewillmakethisanextremelygoodspot.”
PRIME LOCATIONThePortfacilitysitson150acres
with350adjacentacresintheLakeCountyIndustrialPark.Thelevee-protectedareaincludessitesdesignedtowithstand100-yearand500-yearfloods.WhentheMississippifloodedinMay2011,a
helicopterfly-overshowedtheportsitewasfine,Harlansays.
“Itwasvery,verygoodnews,”hesays.
TENNESSEE A MAJOR ExPORTERTennesseealreadyranks8th
amongU.S.statesasanexporterofcottonandlinters,accordingto2010datafromtheU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture.ItisintheTop25forexportsofthreeothermajorcommodities:soybeans,wheatandpoultry.Inthelastdecade,Tennessee’sagricultureexportshaveincreasednearly50percent,andexportsofitsthreemainproductshavemorethantripled.
Growersandproducershavethecapacitytodomore,andCatesLandingwillgivemanyacloser,moreeconomicalwayofgettingtheirgoodsonthemove.Theoptimalmaximumdistancefromaportorrailhubforrawcommoditiesisabout
60miles,Harlansays.TheLakeCountysitenotonlywillbenefitTennesseefarmersbutalsogivetheirpeersinArkansas,MissouriandKentuckyanotheroption.
TheexpansionofthePanamaCanalby2014alsoopensupmoreSouthAmericanmarketsforTennesseecommodities,andCatesLandingispartofaplannednewfree-tradezone.
Theportwillbeaccessibletobargetrafficyearroundandtheharbor’ssouthernendwillhavea300-footturnaroundfortugboats.Aworkingdockisinplace,andthefirstcellpilingswereplacedinNovember2011.
“Aftermanyyearsoftrialanderrorandfitsandstarts,thefundingisinplaceandmachineryandpeopleareontheground,”Harlansays.“Finallyallthepiecesofthepuzzlehavecometogether.”
– Pamela Coyle
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 71
The Center for
Profitable Agriculture is
a partnership program
of UT Extension and the
Tennessee Farm Bureau.
http://cpa.utk.edu (931) 486-2777
Helping TenneSSee FARMeRS
develop value-added enterprises.
72 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
PASTHon. Ned R. McWherter
Governor of Tennessee, 1987-95
President, Dresden FFA, 1947-48
PRESENTHarvey Burniston, Jr.
Johnson County High School
Ag Teacher/ FFA Advisor
FUTUREKatelan Shartzer
Portland FFA
Agricultural Processing 2011 National Finalist
FFA MAKES A DIFFERENCE!Agricultural education and FFA … developing Tennesseans’ potential for premier leadership, personal growth and career success since 1928. Tennessee Department of Education, Career and Technical Education (CTE), data shows:
• 90% of high school students are enrolled in a CTE course or 285,415 students with 35,676 enrolled in ag education.
• Ag education students graduate at higher rate than general population of high school students (92.3% vs. 85.5%).
• TN FFA has 13,523 members, 204 active chapters in schools, 343 teachers in 94 counties and 57 active alumni affiliates.
For more information or to support Tennessee FFA, please contact:
Tennessee FFA Foundation Inc. Box 5034 • Cookeville, TN 38505
Call (931) 372-6050 or visit www.tnffa.org.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 73
INTErNATIONAL TrADE
M emphisisknownfortheblues,butthegreensareahugesectoroftheregion’s
economy.InthislongtimeMississippi
Rivercottontown,agribusinessisapowerhouse.Areafarmersstillgrowcotton,alongwithsoybeansandcorn,buthigh-techresearchandfarmingmethodshavetransformedMemphisintoahubofcutting-edgediversitythatincludeshardwoods,chemicals,meats,paperproductsandbiofuels,aswellasproducersofpackagedfoods.
AGRICENTER IN THE CITyAgricenterInternational,
locatedinaparkinthemidstofMemphis,isonemajorcatalyst.Thenon-profitindustryorganizationstartedinthe1970saimingtoperfecthydroponicsandgrowlettucewithoutsoil.Thatgenerationoffarmersandresearchcompanieswouldlikelynotevenrecognizetheplace–ornearbyfarms–today,saysJohnCharlesWilson,presidentofAgricenterInternational.
Today,morethan10,000test
plotsand30companiesarelocatedonsite,includingBayerCropScience,CaseIHAgricultureandHelenaChemicalCompany.Thesecompaniesutilizethefacilitytodevelopandshowcaseboththelatestequipmentandnewestgrowingmethods.
Tractorsoperatedbysophisticatedglobalpositioningsystemsareusedonthetestplots,witha“driver”monitoringtheonboardcomputer.Moreandmorecompanies,manyinresidenceattheAgricenter,areinvestinginresearch,frombioenergyproductiontonewseedtechnologyandplantspecies.Bigindustrynamesareworkingoneverythingfromimprovedfarmchemicalstogrowingricewithirrigationratherthanfieldflooding.TheAgricenterisalsoinstallingasolarfarm.
OTHER MEMPHIS AGRIBUSINESSES
InformaEconomics,aglobalagribusinessanalysisfirm,isbasedinMemphis.BioDimensionsisbasedhere,too.Itisaglobalagribusinessdevelopmentandconsultingfirmthatworkswith
farmers,seedcompanies,processors,manufacturers,universityresearchers,nonprofitsandeconomicdevelopmentagencies.Thecityishometothreeoftheworld’slargestcottondealers.
WiththeportandaFedExheadquarters,Memphisalsohasgeographyinitscorner,allowingeasymovementofrawproduct,processedgoodsandagribusinessequipment.
“Memphishasalotofdiversebusinesses,withbigcompanies,regionalcompaniesandalsoagriculturalfarmproducersinthiscounty.Wehavesomeverystrongproducershere.Everythingiscombining,andsmallproducersarefindinganichetostayinthemarket,”Wilsonsays.
“Wecanshiptoanyplaceintheworld.TheyproducefoodinIndiaandAfricaandCostaRica,andwecanmovetechnologyfromMemphistootherpartsoftheworld.
“Wearegoingtocontinuetobeimportantintheagindustry,”hesays.
–Pamela Coyle
Agribusiness,relatedresearchfindhomeinMemphis
Seeing Green
Our mission is to promote the interest and welfare of the municipal electric power systems and their customers in
the state of Tennessee. Please call (615) 373-5738 or visit www.tmepa.org to learn more about municipal electric systems.
Living green is making sure the air in your home is healthy for your family to breathe. Test your home for radon and build radon-resistant.
It's easy. That's living healthy and green.
Just call 866-730-green or visit www.epa.gov/radon
Living greenstarts from the ground up.
74 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
rurAL ECONOmIC DEvELOpmENT
Long before the term “Locavore” entered common conversation and even before shoppers asked where their produce was grown, the city of Columbia, Tenn., saw the potential of a farmers’ market to generate downtown traffic. Vendors set up shop in the town’s historic square, and the market was born.
These days, the farmers’ market, held four days a week from May through October, draws scores of shoppers to
downtown Columbia. And in spring 2012, the market will move to its new home, a pavilion on the riverfront that will connect the park and its greenways with the city center.
Its success is due, in part, to the Tennessee Main Street program. The program takes a comprehensive approach to downtown revitalization, through managing the rebuilding of traditional business districts, promoting community self-reliance and encouraging local empowerment.
Main Street Program revitalizes town centers, links to ag heritage
Small-Town APPEAl
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 75
76 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
617new jobs
25new construction
projects
135new businesses
28new housing units created
The N u m b E R S : The Tennessee Main Street program’s impact in 2011 included:
The success of the farmers’ market in Columbia, which now has more than 25 vendors, resulted in part thanks to help from the Tennessee Main Street program.
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 77
AG TRENDS GROW DOWNTOWNS Columbia’ssuccessisanexampleofhowtointegrate
agriculturewithdowntownrevitalizationefforts,andatleasthalfofthenearly50communitiesintheTennesseeMainStreetandTennesseeDowntownsprogramsarerunningfarmers’marketsorcloselyinvolvedwiththeiroperation,saysKimberlyNyberg,directoroftheTennesseeMainStreetprogram.Theprogramincludes24designatedMainStreetcommunities,plusadditionaltownsandcitiesrampingupfortherevitalizationprogramthatusesfederalgrantsandlocalmatches.
“Downtownstraditionallywerethegatheringplaceofcommerceandliving,andmarketsaregivingpeopleaninterestingwaytogetfolksbackdowntown,”Nybergsays.“Wearecomingfullcircle.Manyofourcommunitieswerefoundedwithadowntownbeingthecenterofcommerceandcommunity.”
ColumbiaMainStreethasbeenaheadofthecurve.WhenKristiMartinbecamedirectormorethan13yearsago,theorganizationusedgrantstohireagraphicdesigner,brandtheevent,andpromoteitwithbillboards,directmailandtraditionaladvertising.
Today,vendorsmustapplyandreceiveassignedspaces.“Wearenotlimitedtoproduce,”Martinsays.“We
havehoney,andfresheggsarebignow.Onevendorbringsinbeefandpork,andwe’reinconversationwithavendorforlambandchicken.”
TheTennesseeDepartmentofEconomicandCommunityDevelopmentisthecoordinatingpartnerfortheNationalTrustforHistoricPreservation’sMainStreetCenter.TheTennesseeDepartmentofAgriculture,with
itsruraleconomicdevelopmentprograms,isalsoworkingwiththeprogramtohelpcommunitiescapitalizeontheiragriculturalheritage.
Gallatin,anotheroftheMainStreetCommunities,hasanewprograminpartnershipwiththeU.S.DepartmentofAgriculture’sruraldevelopmentdivision.
Dyersburg,inWestTennessee,reinventeditsmarket,whichisadjacenttorecreationoptionssuchascanoerentals.NybergalsocitesDandridge,Murfreesboro,FranklinandBristolascommunitiesusingeverythingfromsocialmediatolocalmusicianstopromotetheirfarmers’markets.
COLUMBIA MARkET PAVILION TO OPENFederalandstategrantshelpbothlocalfarmersandthe
marketstheyservetakeittothenextlevel.InMauryCounty,farmershaveusedgrantstobuildhoophousesandinstallirrigationsystems,boostingefficiencyandproduction.
Whenthefarmers’marketisnotinsession,thenewpavilionwillprovideamulti-usespaceforotheropen-airevents,Martinsays.
“Ourstageissetverywell,”shesays.“Wearecompletingtheriverwalkprojecttoconnectthedowntowndistricttowherethepavilionis.Theriverwalktrailgoesthroughthecenterofthepavilion.”
Downtownisactive,withtwomajorpropertiessellinginoneweekinDecember2011andongoingrenovationstootherproperties,Martinsays.Seasonalconcerts,holidayeventsandhousetoursareunderconsiderationtohelpkeepdowntownColumbiaadestination.
– Pamela Coyle
voluNTEERS DoNATED moRE ThAN 100,000 houRS of ThEIR TImE IN 2011 TowARD REvITAlIzING ThE TENNESSEE
mAIN STREET commuNITIES.
Downtownsplayanimportantroleinacommunity’seconomicdevelopmentstrategy.Theyoftenaccountfor30 percentofacommunity’sjobsand40 percentofitstaxbase.
24 TENNESSEE commuNITIES cuRRENTly pARTIcIpATE IN ThE mAIN STREET pRoGRAm.
78 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
advertisersVisit Our
Bayer CropSciencewww.bayercropscience.us
Center for Profitable Agriculturehttp://cpa.utk.edu
Farm Credit Services of Mid-Americawww.e-farmcredit.com
Middle Tennessee State University School of Agribusiness and Agrisciencewww.mtsu.edu/abas
Pick Tennessee Productswww.picktnproducts.org
Tennessee 4-H Foundation Inc.www.4h.tennessee.edu
Tennessee Beef Councilwww.beefup.org
Tennessee Department of Agriculturewww.tn.gov/agriculture
Tennessee Economic & Community Developmentwww.tennesseemainstreet.org/ag
Tennessee Farm Bureau Federationwww.tnfarmbureau.org
Tennessee Farm Freshwww.tnfarmfresh.com
Tennessee Farmers Cooperativewww.ourcoop.com
Tennessee FFA Foundation Inc.www.tnffa.org
Tennessee Forestry Associationwww.tnforestry.com
Tennessee Municipal Electric Power Associationwww.tmepa.org
Tennessee Pork Producers Associationwww.porkbeinspired.com
Tennessee Poultry Associationwww.tnpoultry.org
Tennessee Soybean Promotion Councilwww.tnsoybeans.org
Tennessee State Universitywww.tnstate.edu
Tennessee Tech University School of Agriculturewww.tntech.edu/agriculture
Thompson Tractorwww.thompsonmachinery.com
University of Tennesseewww.tennessee.edu
University of Tennessee Martin www.utm.edu
Vietti Foods Company Inc.www.viettichili.com
We’ve HATCHED a success story in Tennessee …
• Poultry accounts for 16.9% of all Tennessee farm income
• Family farms in 63 counties grow and sell broilers for Tyson Foods, Koch Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride and Equity Group (Keystone Foods)
• Premier broiler breeders and global leaders in poultry genetics include Aviagen, Hubbard and Cobb-Vantress
TEnnEssEE PoulTry AssoCiATionP.O. Box 1525 Shelbyville, TN 37162 (931) 225-1123 [email protected]
www.tnpoultry.org
TNAGRICULTURE.COM // 79
rurAL ECONOmIC DEvELOpmENT
F oodisapowerfulforcethatconnectsfamilies,unitesfriendsandbuilds
communities.InruralPerryCounty,forexample,friedfruitturnovershaveprovenrecession-proofandhelpedcreateandretainmuch-neededjobs.
Morejobs–andmorepies–maybeontheway.ArmstrongPieCompany,aTennesseeclassicthatstartedinaHohenwaldkitchenin1946,willaddindividualchocolatechesspiestoitslineupin2012.Thecompanyaddedsmallpecanandchesspiesin2011andhasbeencontactedbyaLondon-basedimporterwhowantstodistributethetastytreatsintheUnitedKingdom.
AdozenpeopleworkatArmstrongPie,andownersBertandDalynPattersonhiredabakeryworkerinDecember2011andanewdriverinJanuary2012.Theyexpecttoaddatleastonemoreemployee–andiftheexportdealworksout,potentiallymore.
“Wearegrowingalittlebit,”DalynPattersonsays.
BertPattersonwasbornandraisedinLindenandhadeatenArmstrongpiessincehewasachild.Thecouplehappenedtobeintheofficeoftheirrealestateagent,sellingoneproperty,whenthelistingforArmstronglanded.Today,thebusinessislocatedinLinden.
Twelvejobsmaynotsoundlikemuch,butwhenthePattersonsstarted,theyweretheonlytwoemployees.Theirtimingcoincidedwiththestate’splantojump-startaneconomicrecoveryinPerryCountybyusingfederalstimulusmoneytopaywagesofupto$15.85anhourfor300governmentandprivate-sectorworkers.
Asmallcompanyortwocan
haveabigimpactinacountywiththehighestunemploymentrateinthestate–27percentatonepointin2009.Thestimulushiringthatyearbroughtunemploymentdownto19percent,andtheeconomicbenefitsrippledthroughthecommunity.
Theystilldo.ArmstrongPieisanactivememberofPickTennesseeProducts,thestateinitiativethatpromoteslocallygrownandmadefoods.Thecompanyboughtabuilding
downtownandspentmoneyonrenovationsandcommercial-gradeequipment.Thewagesubsidylastedonlyayear,butArmstrongemployeeswhowerewillingtoacceptunsubsidizedwagesstayed.Alloftheemployeesdid.
“Itdoeshelpstimulateoureconomy,”DalynPattersonsays.“Thosepeopleareabletobuygroceries,buyinsurance,makeacarpayment,ormakeahousepaymentwherebeforetheywereunableto.”
– Pamela Coyle
ArmstrongpiesboostPerryCountyrecoveryBakery Comes Back
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AD INDEX
6 Bayer CropSCienCe
71 Center for profitaBle agriCulture
c2 farm Credit ServiCeS of mid-ameriCa
13 middle tenneSSee State univerSity SChool of agriBuSineSS and agriSCienCe
18 tenneSSee 4-h foundation inC.
44 tenneSSee Beef CounCil
c3 tenneSSee department of agriCulture
27 tenneSSee eConomiC & Community development
c4 tenneSSee farm Bureau federation
70 tenneSSee farm freSh
1 tenneSSee farmerS Cooperative
72 tenneSSee ffa foundation inC.
38 tenneSSee foreStry aSSoCiation
73 tenneSSee muniCipal eleCtriC power aSSoCiation
71 tenneSSee pork produCerS aSSoCiation
78 tenneSSee poultry aSSoCiation
AD INDEX
4 tenneSSee Soy Bean promotion CounCil
62 tenneSSee State univerSity
72 tenneSSee teCh univerSity SChool of agriCulture
71 thompSon traCtor
2 univerSity of tenneSSee
52 univerSity of tenneSSee martin
78 vietti foodS Company inC.
80 // TENNESSEEAGINSIDER
Senior V.P./Agribusiness Publishing Kim Newsom HolmbergContent Director Jessy yaNceyProofreading Manager raveN PettyContent Coordinator blair tHomasContributing Writers Pamela coyle, cHarlyN Fargo, celeste Huttes, catHy locKmaN, braNdoN lowe, Kirby smitH, JoaNie stiersPublication Design Director murry KeitHSenior Graphic Designers laura gallagHer, JaNiNe marylaNd, Kris sextoN, viKKi williamsGraphic Designers racHael gerriNger, taylor NuNleySenior Photographers JeFF adKiNs, briaN mccordStaff Photographers todd beNNett, aNtoNy bosHierColor Imaging Technician alisoN HuNterAd Production Manager Katie middeNdorFAd Traffic Assistants KrystiN lemmoN, Patricia moisaN
Chairman greg tHurmaNPresident/Publisher bob scHwartzmaNExecutive Vice President ray laNgeNSenior V.P./Operations casey HesterV.P./External Communications teree carutHersV.P./Sales Herb HarPerController cHris dudleySenior Accountant lisa oweNsAccounts Payable Coordinator maria mcFarlaNdAccounts Receivable Coordinator diaNa guzmaNSales Support Coordinator alex marKsSales Support Project Manager sara QuiNtSystem Administrator daNiel caNtrellDatabase Manager/IT Support cHaNdra bradsHawWeb Creative Director allisoN davisWeb Content Manager JoHN HoodWeb Project Manager Noy FoNgNalyWeb Designer II ricHard steveNsWeb Development Lead yamel HallWeb Developer I Nels NosewortHyWeb Account Manager laureN eubaNKPhotography Director JeFFrey s. ottoCreative Services Director cHristiNa cardeNCreative Technology Analyst becca aryAudience Development Director deaNNa NelsoNDistribution Director gary smitHExecutive Secretary Kristy duNcaNHuman Resources Manager Peggy blaKe Receptionist liNda bisHoP
Tennessee Ag Insider is published annually by Journal Communications Inc. and is distributed by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. For advertising information or to direct questions or comments about the magazine, contact Journal Communications Inc. at (615) 771-0080 or by email at [email protected].
For more information about the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, contact:Tom Womack, Director of Public Affairs 440 Hogan Road, Nashville, TN 37220 (615) 837-5118 or by email at [email protected]
For information about Pick TN Products, contact:Cynthia Kent(615) 837-5160 or by email at [email protected]
© Copyright 2012 Journal Communications Inc., 725 Cool Springs Blvd., Suite 400, Franklin, TN 37067, (615) 771-0080. All rights reserved. No portion of this magazine may be reproduced in whole or in part without written consent.
Member The Association of Magazine Media
Member Custom Content Council
2012 EDITION, VOLUME 1
TENNESSEEAG INSIDER
I N G R E D I E N T S½ cup soy sauce2 tablespoons vegetable oil1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar2 cloves garlic, finely chopped1 teaspoon ginger, peeled and grated1 (1 ½-pound) flank steak
I N S T R U C T I O N S1. Combine the soy sauce, vegetable oil, sesame oil, brown sugar, garlic and ginger in a shallow, nonreactive dish and stir until the sugar dissolves.2. Put the steak in the dish and turn to coat both sides. Marinate the steak at room temperature, turning occasionally, for 20-30 minutes.3. Preheat a charcoal or gas grill on high heat and oil the rack. Remove the steak from the marinade.4. Grill the steak for 5 minutes with the lid down. Turn and grill for 6 minutes with the lid open for medium rare. Remove from the grill and let the steak rest for about 5 minutes.5. Thinly slice across the grain and at an angle to the cutting board. Spoon the hot juices over the steak to serve.
Ginger-Soy Flank Steak
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Spice up your steak with a sweet ginger soy sauce.