Marion County TN SWCD

08/31/2026

NASHVILLE — The Tennessee Department of Agriculture Division of Forestry’s (TDF) East Tennessee Nursery (ETN) will open for tree seedling orders at 9 a.m. ET on Sept. 1, 2026. Orders will be accepted through 5 p.m. ET March 15, 2027 or while supplies last. More than three dozen native hardwood, pine and shrub species will be available for purchase, including species suited to streambank restoration.

“ETN gives landowners, municipalities and organizations across the state an affordable way to restore and strengthen their rural and urban forests,” State Forester Heather Slayton said. “Efforts to plant trees contribute to the resilience of our state’s forests and the stabilization and revitalization of streambanks heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene.”
RELEASE IN COMMENTS

08/31/2026

"Measuring Pollinators" is a free lesson plan on the Curriculum Matrix, for grades K-2.

Students identify and measure pollinators and determine why pollinators are important.

Follow the link to access the lesson plan: https://agclassroom.org/matrix/lessons/1022/

08/31/2026

Join us on Sept 14th at 5:30 PM at our office for a session on fly control! If you need your Master Beef this year, make sure to attend to get credit! RSVP to [email protected] or 423-942-2656

08/31/2026

JUST ANNOUNCED...

U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins has announced the Ranchers First Initiative, a broad package of actions aimed at rebuilding America’s cattle herd, strengthening independent ranchers, and putting American-raised beef at the center of our food supply.

With the U.S. cattle herd at a 75-year low, the initiative focuses on several key areas:

• Supporting heifer retention with new risk-management tools designed to help producers rebuild their breeding herds.
• Strengthening local and regional meat processing through new loan programs and efforts to improve the long-term stability of independent processors.
• Prioritizing American beef in federal food purchases, including schools, hospitals, prisons and other institutions.
• Supporting beginning and veteran farmers and ranchers with expanded access to loans, insurance, conservation programs and other resources.
• Helping ranchers recover from natural disasters by expanding conservation program flexibility.

The initiative builds on USDA efforts announced over the past year to expand grazing access, strengthen domestic processing, invest in independent slaughter facilities, increase domestic fertilizer production, improve transparency through the Product of USA label, and bring more American-raised beef into school meals.

At its core, the message is clear: rebuilding the American cattle herd requires putting American ranchers, independent processors, and domestic beef production first.

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

If you’re looking for financing options, FSA can help. We offer farm ownership and farm operating loans to farmers and ranchers who cannot obtain commercial credit from other lenders. Our direct loan customers receive credit counseling and loan supervision to help their agricultural operation succeed. https://www.fsa.usda.gov/about-fsa/structure-organization/farm-loan-programs.

08/28/2026

Well Decommissioning sealing and permanent closure of an inactive, ...

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

08/28/2026

Calling all detectives! Someone stole facts from the My American Farm library, and it’s your job to trot the globe to find them. Take a journey, learn the facts, bring them home and win a reward.