Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic on Tennessee’s Agriculture and Economy

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Tennessee’s agricultural and forest-based industrial complex and its economy in a variety of ways. The range of these impacts include downward pressure on commodity prices that have reduced farm incomes, reduced demand for building materials, reduced household food sufficiency and changes in food shopping habits, loss of food and fiber processing and retailing sales, reduction in restaurant and agri-tourism business sales, and disruptions to transportation and trade. In short, the pandemic has impacted Tennessee’s agricultural sector from farm to fork. The COVID-19 Agricultural Economic Analysis Team is working to provide economic analysis of how the pandemic may impact farm incomes, household food sufficiency, business sales, and the overall economy. Please keep in mind, though, that the effects of the pandemic are evolving as individuals, businesses, and governments adapt to a changing set of circumstances.

We hope the suite of documents below will help inform decision making during the uncertain times precipitated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please check this page as we will be updating data and adding new and/or revised documents.