EPA Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker Signs Memorandum of Understanding with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (October 15, 2020) – Today, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA) to establish collaborative efforts and foster relationships between agencies.
“This MOU with the Tennessee Department of Agriculture establishes a framework for our agencies to collaborate better, enhance training opportunities, focus on accomplishing mutual goals, and further common interests in protecting the environment,” said EPA Region 4 Administrator Mary S. Walker. “I am excited to have a renewed relationship with the agriculture community to improve and protect our environment while continuing to feed a growing population.”
“We are proud to join with EPA in recognizing our shared commitment to supporting well-managed, sustainable farms and forests, to protecting soil and water resources and human health,” said TDA Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. “This agreement will further enhance our efforts to provide the right tools and resources producers need to ensure their productivity and viability for years to come. We especially appreciate our partnership with EPA Region 4 and have enjoyed higher level of cooperation and communication than ever before.”
The MOU between EPA and the Tennessee Department of Agriculture includes education and outreach; communication/coordination; and recognition of environmental stewardship activities.
Background:
Farming dominates the Tennessee’s landscape, with approximately 77,300 farms covering 10.8 million acres, or 41% of the state's 26.4 million land acres. Tennessee's agriculture is as diverse as it's landscape, producing cattle, hay, goats, vegetables, and tobacco in the mountainous Eastern Region, to wheat, corn, poultry, equine, and nursery crops in the rolling hills of Middle Tennessee, to cotton, corn, wheat, sorghum, and soybeans in the rich farmland of West Tennessee. Some of Tennessee top commodities are cattle and calves, soybeans, broilers, nursery crops and corn.
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