Farmers and Ranchers Can Now Apply for Financial Assistance through USDA’s Coronavirus Food Assistance Program

Online Tools and Toll-Free Number Available to Assist Producers

Are you a livestock producer whose operation has been directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic? The Coronavirus Food Assistance Program provides direct relief to producers who faced price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19.

Hopefully we are past the final frost and all the rain and warmth will lead to an abundance in the garden this year. So how can we maximize our gardens? Food Preservation in the form of freezing, canning, and drying. This is article 2 of 4, where we will discuss canning. Freezing is a cheap, easy way to preserve foods where bacteria growth is stopped and items last longer. However, preserving foods by freezing is limited by freezer space. So how else can we stop bacteria growth without a freezer? Canning!

UT Extension Union County shares history with many folks across Union County through memories of childhood involvement in 4-H, farming, seeding, canning, sewing, and more. Over the years our county has seen some admirable Extension Agents. The agents are true leaders that invest time and love into their careers and communities. Currently there are two agents on staff locally, Shannon DeWitt, agriculture, 4-H, and County Director, and Rebecca Hughes, family and consumer science and 4-H.

March is a special month for Extension offices across our great state as we celebrate Extension Month. Extension is an outreach of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture providing a gateway to education and research-based information for county offices in all ninety-five counties across Tennessee. In cooperation with Tennessee State University, UT Extension works with farmers, families, youth, and communities to improve lives by addressing issues at local, state, and national levels.

Ashley Mike is a country girl through and through, with a life spent on a farm and a love of home, family and the outdoors. So, it's no surprise that she's found a career in the UT Extension, an organization dedicated to helping families and communities develop important rural skills, stay healthy and be successful right here at home.