Tennessee State Office

Coronavirus and USDA Service Centers

USDA Service Centers in Tennessee will continue to be open for business by phone appointment only and field work will continue with appropriate social distancing. While our program delivery staff will continue to come into the office, they will be working with our producers by phone, and using online tools whenever possible. All Service Center visitors wishing to conduct business with FSA are required to call their Service Center to schedule a phone appointment. In the event a Service Center is not currently available to serve customers on location, producers can receive assistance from the closest alternate Service Center by phone. Learn more at farmers.gov/coronavirus.

Welcome to Tennessee Farm Service Agency’s online services! The USDA Farm Service Agency supports productive farms and ranches; affordable food, fiber, and fuel; and conservation of our natural resources. In Tennessee the FSA delivers farm loans, farm programs, conservation incentives, price supports, and disaster assistance in 59 county offices and 8 farm loan teams across the state.

Our employees are dedicated to providing efficient programs and quality services to all of Tennessee’s 77,300 working farms. FSA-administered programs benefit all Americans by providing stability for our agricultural producers thus ensuring a safe and abundant supply of food.

We hope you will bookmark this page, visit often and use it as a key resource for locating information about our programs and current U.S. farm policy.

State Committee

Spotlights

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) published a Request for Applications (RFAs) for the Pandemic Response and Safety (PRS) Grants program. This grant program will provide assistance to small businesses in certain commodity areas, including small scale specialty crop producers, food processors, manufacturers, distributors and farmers markets. Small businesses and nonprofits can apply for a grant to cover COVID-related expenses such as workplace safety measures, retrofitting facilities for worker and consumer safety, shifting to online sales platforms, transportation, worker housing, and medical costs. The minimum funding request is $1,500 and the maximum funding request is $20,000.

Eligible entities should visit the PRS grant portal at usda-prs.grantsolutions.gov for complete information on the program, including how to obtain a free of charge DUNS Number from Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) before applying for this program. Applications must be submitted electronically through the grant portal by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Monday, November 22, 2021.

Farm Service Agency Accepting Nominations for County Committees June 15 through Aug. 2

The USDA Farm Service Agency (FSA) is accepting nominations for county committees now through Aug. 2, 2021. Elections will take place starting in November.

County committees are unique to FSA and serve as a direct link between agricultural communities across the country and USDA. For more information on FSA county committees, visit fsa.usda.gov/elections.

Pandemic Assistance for Producers

USDA is committed to delivering financial assistance to farmers, ranchers, and agricultural producers who have been impacted by COVID-19 market disruptions through our new initiative – USDA Pandemic Assistance for Producers. Stay updated on announcements under the USDA Pandemic Assistance to Producers initiative at farmers.gov.

Proposals for Outreach Cooperative Agreements Accepted Now

Farm Service Agency announced the availability of $2 million to establish partnerships with organizations to provide outreach and technical assistance to socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. These cooperative agreements will support participation in programs offered by FSA, including those part of USDA’s Pandemic Assistance for Producers initiative. Interested organizations must submit proposals by May 5, 2021. Learn more.

Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

USDA is implementing updates to the Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP) for producers of agricultural commodities marketed in 2020 who faced market disruptions due to COVID-19. Farm Service Agency will reopen sign-up for CFAP 2 for at least 60 days beginning on April 5, 2021. Learn more about applying for CFAP 2 and other recent CFAP updates.

Saluting America’s Farmers, Ranchers Today and Every Day

By Tyeisha L. Samples, Tennessee, Farm Service Agency

March 23 is National Ag Day, a day to honor farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners. This year’s celebration takes on special significance because of the coronavirus pandemic and the challenges it presented.

The Farm Service Agency (FSA) joined other federal agencies, organizations, universities, and stakeholders to recognize farmers, ranchers and forest landowners, their families, and workers who produce food, fiber, and fuel for the nation and the world.

This year’s National Ag Day theme, “Food Brings Everyone to the Table,” demonstrates the importance of conservation programs, effective risk management tools, and safety-net programs in helping agriculture thrive. Today, FSA salutes our nation’s farmers, ranchers, and private forest landowners for their unwavering commitment to providing affordable, safe, and abundant food, fiber, and fuel to the nation and the world.

Thousands of agricultural producers have voluntarily used FSA and services to protect their natural resources, invest in their operations, and manage their risks very successfully. Meet a few of them from across the country.

Meet the Wright Family, North Smithfield, Rhode Island

Clayton Wright and his family grow corn and hay on 200-acres to feed their 115 Holstein cows. They have diversified their operation to include a creamery and a bakery. The family participates in FSA’s safety-net programs including the Dairy Margin Coverage (DMC), Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC). To cope with market disruptions and associated costs, they also signed up for FSA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program (CFAP).

Read more

FSA offers various risk management, disaster assistance, loans, and conservation programs to help agricultural producers in the United States weather market changes and recover from natural disasters. In addition, there are programs to help agricultural producers and forest landowners improve their operations. Learn about additional programs.

For more information about USDA programs and services, contact your local service center.

Tyeisha Samples is the Acting State Executive Director with Farm Service Agency in Nashville, TN.