Food Safety
Notice to Customers
Update May 30, 2023: During this transition (outlined below), some business invoices issued by the Consumer and Industry Services Division have been temporarily delayed.
Invoices for all programs except for Pesticides will be sent by June 9 to the email we have on file for the business.
Invoices for the Pesticides program will be sent through the postal mail.
In all instances, business owners have until July 31 to pay any balances owed.
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The Tennessee Department of Agriculture is making it easier for customers to interact with the Division of Consumer and Industry Services.
Invoices, licenses, and permits have a new look in 2023. Streamlining the documents makes them simpler to interpret and understand.
A new, secure online portal is easing access to invoice, license, and permit information. Business owners can see the status of a license or registration, when payment is due, and the balance owed. Additionally, payments can be made online with a credit card or eCheck, eliminating the need to send payments through the mail.
The following programs transitioned to the new Trace First portal April 5:
· Apiary
· Dairy
· Food Safety - Manufacturing
· Food Safety - Retail
· Metrology
· Produce
· Tobacco
As always, we appreciate your partnership in serving the citizens of Tennessee. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to the Consumer and Industry Services Division at (615) 837-5150.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture's Food Safety Section administers state laws, rules, and regulations for retail food stores and manufacturing firms processing and storing food products in Tennessee. Our primary goal is to protect the health and economic welfare of our citizens. The Department of Agriculture does not license or inspect restaurants, which are under the jurisdiction of the Tennessee Department of Health.
Complaints
To register a complaint about a prepackaged food product manufactured outside of Tennessee and purchased at a retail food store, call the U.S. Food and Drug Administration toll-free at 1-866-289-3399.
For complaints about a food item manufactured in Tennessee, you can fill out this form and email it to Complaints.Food@tn.gov or fax it to (615) 837-5335.
Consumer and Industry Services Food Safety Section: (615) 837-5193
- Certificate of Free Sale: Certificate.Freesale@tn.gov
- Food Complaints: Complaints.Food@tn.gov
- Food Inspection: Food.Inspection@tn.gov
- New Food Business: NewFood.Business@tn.gov
- Requests for Inspection: Requests.Food@tn.gov
- Retail Food Variance: RetailFood.Variance@tn.gov
Mailing Address
Food Safety, Consumer and Industry Services
Ellington Agricultural Center
P.O. Box 40627
Nashville, TN 37204
Shipping Address
Food Safety, Consumer and Industry Services
Ellington Agricultural Center, Porter Building
436 Hogan Road
Nashville, TN 37220