Tennessee Governor Bill Lee and Department of Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. today announced 17 more businesses supported by the Agriculture Enterprise Fund (AEF), including 10 meat processing facilities.

NASHVILLE – The Department of Correction has taken a unique approach to reaching out to inmates during the COVID-19 pandemic. Because visitation at all state prisons has been suspended since March, TDOC has partnered with the 4th Purpose Foundation to bring visitation back--via video messaging.

Citizens have contacted the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) indicating they’ve received seeds in the mail that they did not order. The seeds appear to have been shipped from China, and in some cases, the envelopes are labeled jewelry or beads.

Nashville, Tenn. – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced today the State of Tennessee’s recommendations to reopen schools for the 2020-2021 school year.

The Tennessee Department of Human Services (TDHS) has received approval from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service to temporarily waive one step in the process for individuals receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) benefits.

A public hearing to offer comments on Tennessee’s Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) application has been scheduled for August 10, 2020. The SSBG plan can be found on the DHS website.

Two additional Tennessee counties have been quarantined for Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) after the beetle was detected earlier this month. Hickman and Dickson Counties join 63 other counties under a state and federal EAB quarantine.

Tennessee parents have additional time to apply for an important program designed to help them feed their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applications will now be accepted online for the Pandemic Electronic Benefit Transfer (P-EBT) program here until Friday, August 14 at 4:30 P.M. Central Time.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee and Department of Economic and Community Development Commissioner Bob Rolfe announced today that Amazon will establish a new, state-of-the-art fulfillment center in Mt. Juliet. Amazon will create 1,000 new, full-time jobs at its new 855,000-square-foot fulfillment center in Wilson County, which is anticipated to launch in late 2021.

The State of Tennessee wants to make Tennesseans aware, that in several western states, there is currently an outbreak of rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 (RHDV2). At present, RHDV2 has not been found in rabbits in Tennessee or any neighboring states.

Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Jeff McCord has notified leadership of the Unemployment Insurance division of changes to Tennessee law that allows employers across the state to avoid charges against their unemployment tax accounts.

NASHVILLE – Unemployment rates in a vast majority of Tennessee’s 95 counties continued to drop in June, according to new data from the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development.

Nashville, Tenn. – Tennessee Governor Bill Lee announced today the State will launch a public service announcement campaign that urges all Tennesseans to fight against the spread of COVID-19 by wearing a mask. The ad campaign, titled “Face It. Masks Fight COVID-19”, will run on broadcast and cable television, digital, social media, print, and billboards statewide.

Tennessee New Unemployment Claims Filed for the week ending on July 18, 2020