UC Farmers Receive Over $4 million In State Funding

More than 50 Jackson County farmers will benefit from this year’s round of Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program funding.

This will be the third time Anthony Flatt has received funding. He said life at his Bloomington Springs Farm would be a lot tougher without the program.

“It would be really tough if we didn’t have this program,” Flatt said. “People in rural counties don’t have a lot of structures and places to work so it would be really tough. I encourage everybody to get out there and get their part of it.”

The program helps farmers with hay storage, working facilities, genetics, livestock equipment and much more.

Jackson County U.T. Agriculture Extension Director Eryn Bell said the cost-sharing program allows farmers to develop a strong base in equipment.

“Equipment is very expensive and farming is not the easiest job in the world to do,” Bell said. “This program really helps loosen up the farmer pocket book,allowing them to get equipment to make farming easier on them.”

The program will bring approximately $220,000 into Jackson County this year to help a total of 53 farmers.

Flatt said he will be using $2,500 to purchase livestock equipment for his farm.

“Ill be buying hay rings, troughs, and mineral salt feeders so I can have a better variety of feeding locations,” Flatt said.

In the past, Flatt received funding for hay storage and working facilities.

Upper Cumberland counties received a total of $4.06 million through the program this year, which will help more than 1,000 farms across the region.