Tennessee Agricultural Enterprise Fund Recipients

NASHVILLE - Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. is announcing nineteen businesses will benefit from the latest round of Agricultural Enterprise Fund (AEF) awards.

"The Agricultural Enterprise Fund is a vital resource for strengthening Tennessee's agricultural economy and fostering innovation in our rural communities," said Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. "This program supports the growth of agricultural and forestry businesses, and we are proud to invest in these projects that have the potential to transform our state's agricultural landscape, especially in areas that need it the most."

AEF is a program that incentivizes new or expanding agricultural, food, and forestry businesses in Tennessee and supports Governor Lee's priorities of job creation and economic growth in rural areas. Awards are made to those who demonstrate a potential for measurable impact on local farm income, access to markets, increased capacity, or agricultural innovation.

AEF grant recipients include:

• Common John Brewing, Coffee County - brewery
• Curvey Road Sawmill, Dickson County - forest products
• East Tennessee Wood Products, Blount County - forest products
• Hankins Forest Products, Hardeman County - forest products
• Haskew Farms, Marion County - livestock feed manufacturing
• Henosis, Davidson County - food manufacturing
• Homestead Distilling Co., Cumberland County - distillery
• Lexington Logging, Lawrence County - forest products
• Local Meats, Greene County -meat processing
• Lynchburg Grain Co., Moore County - grain storage
• Mainstreet Athens, McMinn County - commercial kitchen
• Mid-South Reproductive Services, Overton County - agricultural technology
• Nashville Food Cooperative, Davidson County - food distribution
• Ron Sinyard DBA Pallets Ready, Lawrence County - forest products
• Shannon Meadows, Knox County - retail store and commercial kitchen
• Smokin Oaks Organic Farms, Robertson County - food manufacturing
• Tennessee Valley Commodities, Lawrence County - grain storage
• The Honeytree LLC, Davidson County - food manufacturing
• Wilhoit Farms, Hamilton County - livestock feed manufacturing

In total, the Agricultural Enterprise Fund has awarded nearly $11.5 million in funding to Tennessee agricultural and forestry businesses since the program's launch in 2017. You can find more information about AEF at www.tn.gov/aef or by emailing [email protected].