MTSU Mondays: Farm lab brings produce to market, Polk named Person of the Year
Here's the latest news from Middle Tennessee State University.
Middle Tennessee State University's Small Farms laboratory will again offer student-grown produce as a full-time vendor for the 2025 Murfreesboro Saturday Market season coordinated by Main Street Murfreesboro.
MTSU Small Farms, which will be among the 85 vendors at this year's market, will be joined periodically at the popular weekly event by representatives from MTSU Athletics.
Running each Saturday from May till the end of October, the Saturday Market is open from 8 a.m. to noon around the historic Rutherford County Courthouse downtown.
The market features a variety of specialty farm vendors (lavender, honey, and flowers), four locally raised meat producers, a trout farm, seven bakeries, 17 prepared food vendors, 26 artisans and crafters, and more, according to a Main Street Murfreesboro news release.
MTSU's Small Farms is the only USDA-certified organic grower at the market, providing attendees with a variety of crops from which to choose as selections change through summer into fall. Small Farms sells a mix of vegetables and fruits, along with flower bouquets.
'Customers appreciate that everything we sell is USDA Certified Organic, grown with care, and backed by the transparency we bring to our work,' said Christopher Hall, the Small Farms manager.
'We grow a vibrant mix of seasonal crops, always with a focus on flavor, diversity, and sustainable growing practices. Our staples include tomatoes, sweet and hot peppers, cucumbers, okra and eggplants,' added Hall.
MTSU Small Farms student employees help with production and oversee the entire process, from farm to market, to get a variety of hands-on, experiential learning opportunities. Student agriculture classes also participate along with interns and researchers, according to Hall.
In addition to the food and craft vendors, Murfreesboro Main Street says local organizations such as the Friends of Linebaugh Library, Rutherford County Master Gardeners, Storm Water Management and the League of Women Voters will host booths and activities at the Saturday Market.
A new program called 'Market Passport' has started this season to encourage community engagement by allowing visitors to collect stamps each week they attend and be entered into a monthly drawing for a basket full of goods from a variety of vendors at the market.
'More than just a market, this is a hub for community connection,' said Linda Weeks, Market manager. 'We're especially excited to welcome several young, startup farmers this year who are building the future of local agriculture.'
The 2025 season is the third year of the MTSU Small Farms' involvement in the market, and the second year of being a full-time vendor. MTSU's School of Agriculture manages all of the farm laboratories.
View a full list of Murfreesboro Saturday Market vendors at www.mainstreetmurfreesboro.org.
In what has been an amazing year for MTSU alumnus Reggie Polk, the owner of Polk and Associates Construction Inc. was named Tennessee Small Business Administration Person of the Year this spring.
As part of 2025 National Small Business Week, Polk received the state award in early May while attending the Small Business Association banquet in Washington, D.C., where it was announced Greg and Shelley McArthur of NTL Industries Inc. earned the nationwide distinction.
The NFL Tennessee Titans selected the four-member Tennessee Builders Alliance — Polk and Associates, Turner Construction, ICF Builders and AECOM Hunt — along with trade partners to construct the new $2 billion stadium.
Polk said the D.C. trip was 'such an amazing experience,' from meeting the new U.S. Small Business Administration team, networking, panel discussions and he and his wife Tanora Polk, also an MTSU alumnus, visiting various monuments, especially the World War I monument.
Polk (Class of 2003), a former MTSU football player who co-founded the Brentwood-based business with his wife, credits 'the dedication and hard work and passion' of his 33-member Polk and Associates team, which has offices in Brentwood and Odon, Indiana, and with a footprint that includes Florida and Georgia. 'That is what makes us great. We make it a point to invest in our people.'
MTSU Mondays content is provided by submissions from MTSU News and Media Relations.
This article originally appeared on Murfreesboro Daily News Journal: Farm lab brings produce to market, Polk named Person of the Year
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
What is mortgage insurance?
Mortgage insurance is a fee you pay to your lender to cover risks associated with funding your loan. Different loan types have different kinds of mortgage insurance, which may require either upfront or ongoing, monthly premiums, or both. Some loans don't require mortgage insurance. For example, you can avoid mortgage insurance with a conventional loan by making a down payment of 20 percent or more. Mortgage insurance is an insurance policy that protects the mortgage lender in case you are unable to pay back your mortgage. It's typically required when borrowers make lower down payments. When someone has less invested in the home upfront, the lender takes on more risk in issuing the mortgage. Mortgage insurance helps cover that risk. Although it covers the lender, and the lender chooses the insurer and the policy, the borrower pays for mortgage insurance. The type of mortgage insurance you'll need depends on the type of loan you have. Options include: Private mortgage insurance (PMI): If you put less than 20 percent down on a conventional loan, you'll pay PMI as part of your monthly mortgage payment. FHA mortgage insurance premium (MIP): All FHA loans require MIP, which involves a monthly payment as well as an upfront payment that can be rolled into your loan amount. VA funding fee: VA loans don't technically require mortgage insurance, but you will need to pay a funding fee at closing — or roll it into your loan balance. USDA guarantee fee: Similar to the VA funding fee, you'll need to pay a guarantee fee to get a USDA loan. There's both an upfront fee and an ongoing fee. Mortgage title insurance: Title insurance protects various parties against liability if there's an ownership dispute or title defect during a home purchase. Lender's title insurance protects the lender, and owner's title insurance protects the owner. Different types of mortgage insurance have different requirements and durations. For example, with a conventional mortgage, you'll pay mortgage insurance as part of your mortgage payment. You can request to cancel PMI once you have 20 percent equity in your home. It will be automatically canceled once you have 22 percent equity. With an FHA loan, everyone pays mortgage insurance, no matter the size of the down payment. You'll pay both upfront MIP and annual MIP. If you make a down payment of less than 10 percent, you can't cancel MIP – you'll pay it for the life of the loan. If you put down 10 percent or more, you'll pay annual MIP for 11 years, or until you refinance or sell. Even with mortgage insurance, you could lose your home to foreclosure if you fall behind on your payments. If it's possible for you to make a 20 percent down payment on a conventional loan, you'll likely receive a lower mortgage rate, in addition to not having to pay for mortgage insurance. The cost of mortgage insurance depends on factors such as: The type of mortgage The loan size The loan term Your initial down payment Your credit score Let's break it down by loan type, using a $400,000 mortgage as an example: Loan type Mortgage insurance rate Cost for a $400,000 loan Conventional loan Average cost ranges from 0.46 percent to 1.5 percent of the loan amount annually, according to the Urban Institute $153 to $500 a month FHA loan Requires an upfront MIP (1.75 percent of loan amount) and annual MIP (between 0.15 percent and 0.75 percent) Upfront: $7,000Annually: $600 to $3,000 USDA loan Includes an upfront guarantee fee of up to 3.5 percent of your loan amount, as well as an annual fee of up to 0.5 percent of your loan amount Upfront: Maximum of $14,000 Annually: Maximum of $2,000 VA loan An upfront fee of 1.25 percent to 3.3 percent of the loan amount $5,000 to $13,200 How is mortgage insurance calculated? Mortgage insurance is calculated based on several variables, including loan amount and loan-to-value (LTV) ratio, or down payment amount. The higher your down payment, the lower your mortgage insurance premium will be. It's pretty clear how this coverage benefits the lender, but how does mortgage insurance work for the borrower? Here are the main pros and cons. Don't need to put 20 percent down to get a mortgage Start building equity more quickly More money to spend on other things, such as furniture or initial repairs, instead of putting it toward a larger down payment Extra expense to pay Can be hard or impossible to cancel, depending on the loan type Protects the lender, not you As the cost of homes continues to rise, it's becoming harder and harder to afford a mortgage payment — let alone to put 20 percent down on a home. If paying mortgage insurance helps you get into a home more quickly — or if saving 20 percent is nearly impossible on your budget — it's likely worthwhile, even if it costs a little more. However, if you really don't want to pay for mortgage insurance, and you can't afford to put 20 percent down, you may explore a couple of options: Down payment assistance programs can offer help with upfront homeownership costs in the form of grants or low-cost loans. Some offer mortgages that don't require mortgage insurance. A piggyback loan involves getting two mortgages to pay for your home: one for 80 percent of the home price, and one for 10 percent. The second, smaller mortgage covers part of the down payment. Finally, you'll make a down payment of 10 percent, bringing you to a 20 percent down payment. Before choosing a piggyback loan, do the math versus the cost of PMI to ensure you'll save money. Is mortgage insurance tax-deductible? No. The itemized deduction for this cost has expired. Unless legislation renews it, you won't be able to claim a tax perk for mortgage insurance premiums. What is the difference between mortgage insurance and homeowners insurance? Mortgage insurance protects the lender if you stop paying your mortgage. Homeowners insurance protects you if you experience a covered loss, for example, if your house burns down in a fire or your home is damaged or destroyed by a tornado. What happens if I stop paying mortgage insurance? You can't simply stop paying for the insurance policy, even if you've reached the required level of equity. You must first contact your lender to get the mortgage insurance policy canceled. However, by law, lenders must cancel PMI on conventional loans when you've reached a 78 percent LTV ratio.
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Yahoo
Cotton Futures Mixed on Friday, with New Crop Cautious
Cotton price action was mixed today. Nearby July was under pressure and posted the lowest close for the contract since April 7. The new crop months were staring at challenging US weather conditions and less inclined to discount prices. They were mostly up 3 to 7 points, with a thinly traded October contract up 94. WTI crude oil settled 14 cents lower at $75.00/barrel in the July futures contract but was 59 cents higher at $74.09 for August delivery amid Mideast concerns. The US dollar index was weaker, factoring in tariff and Middle East concerns. The September DX index futures settled 0.073 lower at 98.395. Weekly Export Sales data showed 83,198 RB of cotton sold in the week ending on June 12 for the 2024/25 marketing year. That was 38.25% above the previous week's USDA figure. Sales for 2025/26 totaled 274,891 RB, which was a marketing year high. Shipments for upland cotton were at 204,694 RB in that week, back down 13.36% from last week. Drought Conditions Are Setting In. How Much Higher Can Wheat Prices Go? Coffee Prices Sharply Lower as Global Supply Concerns Ease Cocoa Prices Plunge as Beneficial Rain in West Africa Boosts Crop Conditions Stop Missing Market Moves: Get the FREE Barchart Brief – your midday dose of stock movers, trending sectors, and actionable trade ideas, delivered right to your inbox. Sign Up Now! The Cotlook A Index was down 75 points on 6/19 at 77.75. ICE cotton stocks were UNCH on June 18, with a certified stocks level of 62,332 bales. USDA's Adjusted World Price (AWP) was up 1 point on Thursday at 54.03 cents/lb. and is effective through next Thursday. Jul 25 Cotton closed at 64.04, down 80 points, Dec 25 Cotton closed at 66.7, up 3 points, Mar 26 Cotton closed at 67.92, up 7 points On the date of publication, Austin Schroeder did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Sugar Prices Supported by News of Increased Pakistan Sugar Imports
July NY world sugar #11 (SBN25) Friday closed up +0.22 (+1.39%), and August London ICE white sugar #5 (SWQ25) closed down -7.30 (-1.51%). Sugar prices on Friday settled mixed. Short covering emerged in sugar futures on Friday after Pakistan's government announced plans to import 250,000 metric tons of raw sugar due to a disappointing sugarcane harvest. The dollar's weakness (DXY00) on Friday also prompted some short covering in sugar futures. Drought Conditions Are Setting In. How Much Higher Can Wheat Prices Go? Coffee Prices Sharply Lower as Global Supply Concerns Ease Cocoa Prices Plunge as Beneficial Rain in West Africa Boosts Crop Conditions Markets move fast. Keep up by reading our FREE midday Barchart Brief newsletter for exclusive charts, analysis, and headlines. Sugar prices have fallen over the past 3-months and posted 4-year nearest-futures lows on Wednesday due to expectations of a global sugar surplus. On May 22, the USDA, in its biannual report, projected that global 2025/26 sugar production would increase by +4.7% year-over-year (y/y) to a record 189.318 million metric tons (MMT), with a global sugar surplus of 41.188 MMT, up 7.5% year-over-year. The outlook for higher sugar production in India, the world's second-largest producer, is bearish for prices. On June 2, India's National Federation of Cooperative Sugar Factories projected that India's 2025/26 sugar production would climb +19% y/y to 35 MMT, citing larger planted cane acreage. The outlook for abundant rainfall in India could lead to a bumper sugar crop, which is bearish for prices. On April 15, India's Ministry of Earth Sciences projected an above-normal monsoon this year, with total rainfall forecast to be 105% of the long-term average. India's monsoon season runs from June through September. Signs of larger global sugar output are negative for prices. On May 22, the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) predicted that Brazil's 2025/26 sugar production would rise +2.3% y/y to a record 44.7 MMT. Also, India's 2025/26 sugar production is projected to rise +25% y/y to 35.3 MMT, citing favorable monsoon rains and increased sugar acreage. In addition, Thailand's 2025/26 sugar production is expected to climb +2% y/y to 10.3 MMT. In a bearish factor, the Indian government said on January 20 that it would allow its sugar mills to export 1 MMT of sugar this season, easing the restrictions placed on sugar exports in 2023. India has restricted sugar exports since October 2023 to maintain adequate domestic supplies. India allowed mills to export only 6.1 MMT of sugar during the 2022/23 season to September 30 after allowing exports of a record 11.1 MMT in the previous season. However, the ISMA projects that India's 2024/25 sugar production will fall -17.5% y/y to a 5-year low of 26.2 MMT. Also, the ISMA reported last Monday that India's sugar production from Oct 1-May 15 was 25.74 MMT, down -17% from the same period last year. In addition, Indian Food Secretary Chopra said on May 1 that India's 2024/25 sugar exports may only total 800,000 MT, below earlier expectations of 1 MMT. The outlook for higher sugar production in Thailand is bearish for sugar prices. On May 2, Thailand's Office of the Cane and Sugar Board reported that Thailand's 2024/25 sugar production rose +14% y/y to 10.00 MMT. Thailand is the world's third-largest sugar producer and the second-largest exporter of sugar. Sugar prices have some support from reduced sugar production in Brazil. Unica reported Monday that cumulative 2025/26 Brazil Center-South sugar output through May is down by -11.6% y/y to 6.954 MMT. Last month, Conab, Brazil's government crop forecasting agency, said 2024/25 Brazil sugar production fell -3.4% y/y to 44.118 MMT, citing lower sugarcane yields due to drought and excessive heat. The International Sugar Organization (ISO) raised its 2024/25 global sugar deficit forecast to a 9-year high of -5.47 MMT on May 15, up from a February forecast of -4.88 MMT. This indicates a tightening market following the 2023/24 global sugar surplus of 1.31 MMT. ISO also cut its 2024/25 global sugar production forecast to 174.8 MMT from a February forecast of 175.5 MMT. The USDA, in its bi-annual report released May 22, projected that global 2025/26 sugar production would climb +4.7% y/y to a record 189.318 MMT and that global 2025/26 human sugar consumption would increase +1.4% y/y to a record 177.921 MMT. The USDA also forecasted that 2025/26 global sugar ending stocks would climb +7.5% y/y to 41.188 MMT. On the date of publication, Rich Asplund did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. This article was originally published on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
