Minding Your Business: The push for self-sufficiency is needed

Below are a few business tidbits you might find interesting throughout these last few days of August. Enjoy!• According to the American Automobile Association, the Tennessee gas price average as of Monday was $3.44, down 9 cents from last Friday's state average. Kingsport and Bristol's Monday average was $3.48, down 14 cents from last week. A year ago, the average was around $2.85.• The Burgers, Beans and Bills legislative cookout will be held on Thursday from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at the Kingsport Farmers Market. Tickets are $40 and can be purchased online.• The 2022 Education to Employment Summit will be held on Wednesday, Aug. 31, at 7:30 a.m. at the Ron Ramsey Agriculture Center, 140 Spurgeon Lane, Blountville, TN 37617. For more information, check online.Notes from the fieldWhen Tennessee Sen. Bill Hagerty kicked off his economic development tour in Kingsport, he honed in on a project he was specifically proud of — and for good reason.Hagerty used his background in business to help bring more semiconductor chip manufacturing to the United States. Earlier this month, President Joe Biden signed the CHIPS Act (Creating Helpful Incentives to Produce Semiconductors for America) which reduces the preliminary permit process, making the U.S. more attractive to chip manufacturers."I picked up the phone and called the CEOs of these manufacturing firms and asked, 'What keeps you from manufacturing them here? You design them here, but why not manufacture them here?' " Hagerty said. "They told me it takes between five to six years to get through the federal permit process for a semiconductor chip fabrication facility in America."By the time you've got a plant permitted here in America, they're on to the third generation in another country."These chips aren't just needed to add manufacturing in the U.S. They are found in nearly all every-day items such as cars, refrigerators, smartphones, laptops, televisions, washing machines and even LED light bulbs.We don't just need to support increasing the number of semiconductor chip manufacturers in America. We need to take this approach in so many other areas of American business.We've seen an array of shortages from semiconductor chips to even food shortages from supply chain issues and beyond in our country starting after the pandemic.However, I recently came across a good example of self sufficiency from my alma mater.The University of Tennessee seems to have read the proverbial room in recent years and has implemented local food and other agriculture efforts that are evident on campus.Any given UT student has access to beef raised at UT's Northeast Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Greeneville that is then available in dining halls throughout the campus.The university even plans to open its own creamery in Knoxville that will offer dairy from local cows. It also offers the chance for students to hone their agriculture, business and other collegiate skills all in one place through the creamery. You can read about UT's beef, creamery, cheese and even its vino ventures online and in the University of Tennessee System Magazine's Summer 2022 issue.East Tennesseans are self-sufficient people. We are also blessed with agriculture and an independent attitude that supports that notion.I believe we need more farm-to-table options. We need more local meat and food options. We also need more industry, manufacturing and goods based in America, and even better, in Northeast Tennessee.