by Lewis Loflin
In Bristol, USDA and state agriculture grants aim to boost local economies, but their outcomes and oversight raise questions. This review examines specific cases in Southwest Virginia and East Tennessee, focusing on funding details and public benefits. No illegal activity is implied; the concern is accountability.
In 2019, Lost State Distilling received a $30,000 grant from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture for a small-batch distillery at 200 State Street, Bristol, Tennessee. The owners invested $375,000 in the building, targeting a late-2019 opening. The grant hinged on using local grain and feeding distillery byproducts to cattle. Officials estimated a $25 million economic impact from such grants, though past claims lack detailed data (Bristol Herald Courier, January 25, 2019). Post-award oversight remains limited, with no public access to operational results.
In 2013, GlenMary Gardens, a small strawberry farm, secured a $213,000 USDA grant among 110 “value-added producer” awards. The plan—to produce and sell jelly—was tied to the Southeast Culinary and Hospitality College in Bristol, Virginia. At the time, details were still being finalized (Bristol Herald Courier, April 30, 2013). The college, launched in 2005 by Richard Erskine, closed January 4, 2015, after losing accreditation in April 2013 and facing financial woes, including a disputed $300,000 from the U.S. Department of Education. The Bristol Mall, part of its site, also shut down.
By January 2019, GlenMary operated seasonally as a pick-your-own farm and roadside stand. The owner reported closing five months yearly, with no staff retained—netting zero jobs from the grant. The college’s closure likely reduced local employment further.
Appalachian Sustainable Development (ASD, asdevelope.org) has received millions in grants. In 2010, a $68,906 USDA Farmers Market Promotion Grant funded events like the “Local Food Celebration Supper” in Kingsport, Tennessee, and Abingdon, Virginia. In 2018, ASD and affiliates got $500,000 more, including $7,750 to ASD, $175,000 for a “Mobile Agriculture Education Demonstration Project,” $14,595 for a “Demonstration Greenhouse and Aquaculture Project,” $15,000 for “Agriculture Based Professional Development Training,” $225,000 for “Agricultural Workforce Development and Training,” and $62,176 for a “Southwest Virginia Food Hub” (Bristol Herald Courier, January 15, 2018). Job creation data beyond grant recipients remains unavailable.
The 2018 projects aimed at education and food access—e.g., linking farms to schools—contrast with bulk food options: $225,000 could buy 180,000 pounds of carrots at Aldi ($1.25/2 lbs) or 450,000 pounds of rice at Dollar Tree ($1/2 lbs). Measurable public impact is unclear.
These grants often use terms like “local” or “sustainable” to justify funding, but lack follow-up mechanisms. Tennessee and Virginia agencies rarely disclose post-award performance, mirroring past regional patterns. No evidence suggests misuse—just unclear results. The $213,000 GlenMary grant and $30,000 Lost State award promised jobs; the former delivered none, the latter’s status is untracked. ASD’s millions yielded events and staff positions, not broad employment lists.
Decades of similar funding in the region—fish farming, culinary schools—show a trend: high hopes, mixed delivery. Direct food aid might outpace indirect projects, but data gaps hinder comparison. Transparency could clarify what works.
Click to Visit!
