Tennessee Home & Farm Radio

This time of year for our farmers should be one of excitement and payoff for their hard work during the growing season as they harvest their row crops like soybeans and corn. But because of markets, inflation and weather, it could be 'catastrophic.'

As input costs continue to put a strain on farmers' bottom lines, a concerning trend has emerged for fertilizer prices. Mike Davis takes a look at the numbers.

More than 2,000 pounds of pork was donated to Cul2vate to go towards feeding hungry Tennesseans. The meat was donated by Tosh Farms and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation paid to have it processed.

A highly anticipated report from the Make America Healthy Again Commission was finally published. Mike Davis explains how the report recognizes contributions of farmers in making America healthy.

It's often said that, collectively, we as a generation are disconnected from how our food is grown. Less than two percent of our population farms—but you don't have to live on a farm to grow food. Dr. Steven Kennedy, with Tennessee State University's Agriculture Department, is helping people learn how they can grow fresh produce through hydroponic systems at home.

The Tennessee Valley Fair is up and going this week. They're celebrating their 105th year and keeping true to their mission of being centered around agriculture.

The Tennessee Valley Fair in Knoxville is up and running this week. It got started last Friday with a Hamburger grill off between local radio stations in Knoxville and a team of 4-H and FFA students – all to highlight agriculture and the delicious products produced right here in Tennessee.

Mike Taliento spent nearly 30 years serving our nation in the Army, and now he's dedicating his time and energy to raising beef cattle alongside his wife on their ranch in Montgomery County. He was recently recognized as the Tennessee Small Farmer of The Year at the TSU Small Farm Expo.

Dr. Charlie Hatcher announced Wednesday that he will be retiring as Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture effective October 1st. After nearly seven years as commissioner, Hatcher says his dairy farm in Williamson County and family is calling him back home. Governor Bill Lee has appointed current Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture Andy Holt to succeed Hatcher as Tennessee Ag Commissioner.

A group of farmers in upper East Tennessee banded together to help solve the shortage of meat processing facilities in Tennessee. Together they formed the Appalachian Producers Cooperative, which is a USDA inspected processing facility that can harvest around 125 head per week.

The University of Tennessee's Herbert College of Agriculture on the ag campus in Knoxville is bustling with students these days, perhaps more so than any other time.

A district court has overturned a burdensome aspect of a 2023 labor rule, which is good news for farmers and ranchers.

No other event quite like the Tennessee Walking Horse National Celebration which will crown a new world champion under the spotlight tomorrow night in Shelbyville.

Obviously, predicting the weather is harder than it seems. And for our farmers, its one of the most frustrating aspects of the growing season.  Just look at what's happened this year across Tennessee.  Thankfully, Eric Snodgrass, a Senior Science Fellow and an Atmospheric Scientist with Nutrien Ag Solutions, studies the weather, basically everyday of the year to help better inform farmers about weather impacts.

Every day whether its on the farm or at home, the one item, besides food, we're all dependent on is electricity.  And Tennesseans are fortunate right now in that Mike Partin, CEO of the Sequatchie Valley Electric Cooperative, is serving as president of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

Several reports have reinforced that farmers and ranchers are facing economic challenges.

Combines are beginning to hit fields as the 2025 harvest begins. Ricky Chandler is one of the first to get started, shelling white corn on one of their locations in Carroll County. Chandler says dry weather late in the growing season, combined with low commodity prices are making this season tough.

Rob & Leah Holman will soon be riding around in a new Kubota tractor on their farm in Obion County. The Holmans finished second in the Tennessee Young Farmers & Ranchers Achievement Award competition and get to use a brand-new Kubota tractor for up to 250 hours on their farm as their prize.

What a great experience at the Wilson County/Tennessee State Fair the past few days, especially for 4-H'er's across the state as they have been competing in livestock shows and showing off their talents in the 4-H and FFA building.  And their 10th annual Picnic at the Fair was one for the record books as they raised more than $93,000 to help assist kids attend 4-H camp.

Consumers are seeing what exactly it takes to get a bacon cheeseburger and fries. The expanded Agventures Barn at the Tennessee State Fair shows how long it takes to grow and produce each ingredient in a bacon cheeseburger. The hope is that consumers will be better educated about where their food comes from and have a new found appreciation for the farmer that grew it.

U.S. Secretary of AGriculture Brook Rollins made a visit to the Volunteer State Monday. She addressed the 10th annual Tennessee FFA Ham Breakfast at the Tennessee State Fair. Rollins was joined by Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Stephen Vaden. Both Rollins and Vaden also took part in a listening session with Tennessee farmers from across the state, listening to their concerns about the current tough farm economy.

With the start of harvest season in Tennessee, a lot of uncertainty for our row crop farmers as markets continue to remain low and other production costs continue to rise.  Dr. David Kohl, Professor Emeritus at Virginia Tech shared insights recently at the 27th Annual Mid-South Ag Finance Conference at UT Martin.

The Tennessee State Fair kicked off with the annual media hamburger grill off. TV personalities from nashville media competed against one another to see who could make the best burger using Tennessee products. The contest is a great way to kick off the fair and shine a light on agriculture.

Ag research at UTIA has fulfilled the mission of the land-grant university at the University of Tennessee for decades. UT Knoxville Chancellor Dr. Donde Plowman says that UTIA's ag research is now the model that the rest of the University it trying to follow.

Since 1818, farmers and now many Americans have come to expect and enjoy the Farmers Almanac.  And now the 2026 edition is out and available and packed with offbeat wisdom, tips and hacks and of course its pretty accurate long-range weather forecast.

Andy Curliss is the Vice President of Strategic Engagement for the National Pork Producers Council. He's warning farmers that there are influencers with deep pockets that are trying to change our agriculture system in the United States, and not for the better. Curliss says while they pour millions of dollars into their tactics against agriculture, farmers have the upper hand in the conversation.

U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, Stephen Vaden, was in Tennessee Friday addressing Tennessee farmers at the Tennessee Farm Bureau County Presidents Conference. Vaden updated on some of the things the Trump administration is doing to boost American agriculture & how he's fighting for them daily at USDA.

It's often said that farmers need to tell their story to better inform the public about where their food comes from. Dr. Ben West with UT Extension specializes in strategic communication and is spending time with county farm bureau leaders, teaching them new approaches to leading at the grassroots level and being better communicators.

Patrick Jaynes is the new Tennessee State Director for USDA Rural Development. Jaynes describes what it means to him to serve in this role and how he's using his background of growing up in rural Tennessee to help rural Tennesseans.

Shop Springs Creamery has been opened for about about six years now. Owner Jeffrey Turner explains why they opned the creamery and how it's adding value to their family dairy.

Growing up on the farm in Western Kentucky, Darwin Newton has always been close to the land, and throughout his storied professional career that spans over 60 years, its been specifically all about the soil.  And this week he was honored as newest member of the Southeast Region Conservation Hall of Fame.

This is National Farmers Market Week with celebrations in Washington DC and Nashville.

A flurry of recent trade agreements and frameworks have been announced by the Trump administration. Chad Smith has more on what this means for American agriculture.

Tennessee Agriculture & Forestry Program has been in West Tennessee this week touring farming operations in the region. A couple of the participants describe what it's been like seeing different aspects of agriculture and how the program has benefited them greatly.

Farmers from across Tennessee are gathering in their communities for policy development meetings. Put on by the Tennessee Farm Bureau, these meetings give farmers a chance to voice their concern on issues facing them and the entire agriculture industry.

Lance Pekus has the title of both rancher and worldwide ninja warrior competitor. He's been on the NBC TV show American Ninja Warrior for about ten years now and continues to ranch with his wife and kids in Idaho. Pekus shares how his platform through Ninja warrior has allowed him to be a strong voice for agriculture on the world stage.

Emily Ivey of Loudon County is the 2025 Tennessee Young Farmers and Ranchers Environmental Stewardship Award Winner. Ivey explains what environmental practices she is implementing on her farm and how it's helping produce a better end product while also preserving the farm for another generation.

The landscape of potential tariffs continues to shift. Chad Smith has the latest on implementation postponements as well as new threats.

4-H students from across Tennessee were honored at the annual 4-H annual round up for their work in respective projects. A few of the winners talk about winning the award in their project area, and why 4-H means so much to them.

Rob & Leah Holman of Obion County are this year's second place winner in the Tennessee Young Farmers and ranchers young farmer of the year competition. They explain what it means to be recognized with this high honor.

Robert Hill of Lauderdale County is the 2025 Tennessee Young Farmer of The Year. Hill describes what it means to him to receive this award.

The annual Tennessee Young Farmers and Ranchers Summer Conference took place in Lebanon this past weekend. State Chair Lee Bagwell explains why this conference is so important for young farmers and Farm Bureau overall.

While the One Big Beautiful Bill helped out U.S. agriculture, farmers and ranchers are still waiting on a new farm bill. Chad Smith reports.

It's growing time in Tennessee and if you planted a garden you're probably harvesting some fresh vegetables. Dr. Behnaz Molaei with TSU is telling people how easy it is to grow food in their own backyard with a little knowledge and hard work.

Dr. Jaye Hamby, a Tennessee native, is now leading USADA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture as the director at USDA headquarters in Washington DC.

We continue to share the important story of American and Tennessee agriculture.  It's the biggest driver of our state's economy and in fact, for many states around the country and there's no doubt it's an important aspect of our national security, protecting our farmers and the food they grow.

For decades Beef Expo has brought youth from across the Volunteer State together to show cattle. This year's event happened in Lebanon at the state fairgrounds, bringing generations together to continue what has become a family tradition.

Kelsey Barnes is joining fellow Obion County native, Steven Vaden, in our nation's capital at USDA. Vaden was officially sworn is as U.S. Deputy Secretary of Agriculture earlier this week and Barnes is serving as senior advisor to Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. Barnes describes what it means to her to serve in this roll and how her agriculture roots in Tennessee are helping her.

The One Big Beautiful Bill is on now law, and as Chad Smith tells us it includes many important provisions for America's farmers and ranchers.

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brook Rollins announced the Trump administration's plan to boost American agriculture called the National Farm Security Action Plan. Rollins announced the seven point plan alongside other cabinet members at USDA headquarters. She says every point is aimed at improving American agriculture for farmers.

From his century farm in Union City to now the second in command at the U.S. Department of Agriculture in Washington DC, Stephen Vaden says its been surreal to be sworn-in as deputy secretary.