Mayfield Lumber Receives $250,000 In TUFF Funding

Warren County’s Mayfield Lumber Company is receiving some $250,000 from the Tennessee Urban Farm and Forestry (TUFF) cost share program.

Owner David Mayfield said they will be using the funds to construct a building to hold much of the timber they process and protect it from the elements. Mayfield said the building will also slightly increase their overall storage capacity.

“We’ll be able to better utilize the lumber in storage, in procurement, and also in the drying process of keeping it under roof,” Mayfield said. “Especially a lot of thicker lumber that normally sits outside to air dry, but we’re going to put it in a building.”

Mayfield said the funding will allow them to continue to support in-state sawmills and promote healthy logging practices. The TUFF program supports production increases for small farming and forestry businesses and increase access to nutritious food in Tennessee’s urban areas.

He said they will also be purchasing a forklift and getting a few new employees to support the expansion.

“We’re advocates for a healthy forest and best management practices in regards of harvesting the right size timber so that the next generation and the following generations will, you know, have good, mature timber to harvest and utilize as well,” Mayfield said.

Mayfield said they were encouraged to apply for the funding by the Department of Agriculture. Mayfield said the expansion and increase in employees will also benefit the community in Warren County.

“Even if you add one employee or ten employees, they are going out and they’re either renting, you know, they’re contributing to the local economy,” Mayfield said. “Groceries or work wear or whatever it might be, children, you know, it’s just part of the payroll.”