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The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Consumer and Industry Services Division (CIS) is alerting consumers to a recall of chocolate chip cookies.

Industrial hemp growers in Tennessee are required to renew their licenses with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) by June 30, 2021.

Governor Bill Lee and Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M., announced today the largest number of Agricultural Enterprise Fund (AEF) recipients and the highest award of grant dollars in the program’s history. Just over $951,000 will be dispersed to 28 agricultural, food, and forestry businesses.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of box tree moth, Cydalima perspectalis, in the United States and Tennessee is a state that may have received infested boxwood plants. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) was notified today that boxwoods shipped to a distribution center in Memphis from Ontario, Canada between August 2020 and April 2021, may have been infested with box tree moths.

The Tennessee Forestry Commission will meet June 9, 2021 at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tenn. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. CDT in the Oak Training Conference Room of the Bruer building located at 406 Hogan Rd. The meeting is open to the public to attend.

Emerald Ash Borer Awareness Week is May 23-29, 2021 and it’s a great time for citizens to familiarize themselves with the signs of infestation and learn how to protect ash trees. “This invasive pest has been in Tennessee for more than a decade and, unfortunately, it’s here to stay,” State Forester David Arnold said.

The Tennessee State Fair and Exposition Commission will meet May 27, 2021 at the Ellington Agricultural Center in Nashville, Tenn. The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. CDT in the Moss Administration Building located at 440 Hogan Road.

Multiple cost share opportunities are currently open for application and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry (TDF) can help. During the month of May, forest landowners can apply for financial assistance to help establish or enhance their woodlands, and loggers can apply to improve harvesting capacity.

The state veterinarian is alerting horse owners of cases of equine infectious anemia (EIA), a potentially fatal blood-borne illness.

When agricultural fair season rolls around this year, the Tennessee State Fair will make history by taking place in conjunction with the Wilson County Fair. “In partnership with Wilson County and Wilson County Promotions, the Tennessee State Fair will be one of the largest and strongest in the country,” Governor Bill Lee said. “I thank the State Fair Commission and General Assembly for prioritizing the investments needed to expand facilities, showcase our agriculture community, and ensure the best possible experience for Tennesseans.”

With warm spring days in the forecast, Tennessee farms will quickly have fields turning red with juicy and sweet strawberries. If you are looking for the freshest berries, head straight to the farm.

It’s planting season and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s Division of Forestry can help cities and counties, schools, and nonprofit organizations fund urban forestry tree planting projects. The Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) applications are now open to help increase and improve tree populations.

The Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) Kord Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory has the state’s first Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) testing facility. The CWD testing unit is operational and fully accredited by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), the organization that develops and publishes international standards.

Rising timber prices and the value of individual species have enticed thieves to steal timber across Tennessee. The Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) urges forest landowners to be aware of timber theft and provides steps owners can take to protect their assets.

Following the recent detection of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2) near the Tennessee border in Arkansas, live domestic rabbits, wild hares, and pikas have new requirements for import to Tennessee.