While Tennessee agriculture generates more than $2.4 billion annually in farm cash receipts, the farmers haven't been well-paid for their efforts. In 1996, on average, Tennessee farmers received a whopping net income of $4,826.25 per farm.

For every dollar that Tennesseans spend at the supermarket, only 25 cents finds its way back to the farm. If they eat at a fast-food restaurant, only 12 cents finds it way back. Where does the rest of that dollar go?

It goes for the processing of a product before it reaches the consumer. For example, fresh eggs require little processing and have a higher farm share than bakery products, which require a great deal of processing.

Because of this price spread, the importance of value-added agriculture grows every year. Value-added agricultural products have greatly outpaced raw agricultural goods since 1950.

So how can you capture some of the value that's currently being added beyond the farm gate?

The Agricultural Development Center (ADC) may be able to help. It's part of The University of Tennessee's Agricultural Extension Service. It offers producers and entrepreneurs access to faculty and staff with expertise in business and technical disciplines, such as food science, food engineering, meat science, financial feasibility and marketing.

The ADC, located on the UT Ag. Campus in Knoxville, gives you the opportunity to develop further your value-added ideas.

Since July, seven ADC specialists have completed six in-depth studies of value-added agricultural ideas across the state. Projects included value-added poultry wastes, commercial sod production, special-recipe hot sauce production and dairy and free-range chicken marketing and ostrich meat marketing.

Five other projects are currently on-going, four projects are under review and more than 30 project applications are being completed.

The ADC is taking extension's traditional specialty areas of production, management and marketing to the next level. Feel free to contact the county Extension office about your idea.