COFFEE COUNTY is home to many incredible people who work every day to make their home a better place. One such person is Dr. Jill Johnson, Animal Health Veterinary Medical Officer and long-time business owner in Manchester. Johnson worked for 16 years in a private practice in Manchester, before moving on in 2003 to be a field staff veterinarian for the Tennessee Department of Agriculture (TDA). This year, Tennessee Governor Bill Lee recognized Johnson with the Governor\u2019s Excellence in Service Award, highlighting the services she has done for her community and Tennessee as a whole.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In a news release on the award, the TDA said that Johnson filled a critical need during several disease investigations, and that she has a wide variety of skills ranging from working with farm hobbyists to assisting Agriculture Crime Unit special agents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhile she\u2019s performing routine veterinary medical officer tasks, Dr. Johnson is often training fellow state and federal veterinary services colleagues. Sharing her knowledge and experience expands the resources available to livestock producers,\u201d the news release said. \u201cAdditionally, she connects law enforcement with animal resources to help care for and house animals seized during animal welfare investigations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson has done a lot more than simply excel in her field. She was the first female veterinarian in Coffee County, earning her degrees from Motlow State Community College and the University of Tennessee in Knoxville. Her work has almost certainly inspired other veterinarians \u2013 since 2010, there has been a 12% increase in women veterinarians across the United States. Now she serves 13 counties in Middle Tennessee, including Coffee, Marshall, Bedford, Lincoln, Moore, Cannon, DeKalb, White, Warren, Grundy, Van Buren, Giles, and Franklin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cDr. Johnson\u2019s years of experience, coupled with her willingness to help with any issue related to animal agriculture, make her invaluable to our department and to the citizens she serves,\u201d Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher, D.V.M. said in the news release. \u201cHer instincts are strong, and she\u2019s made significant contributions to TDA\u2019s animal health mission.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson said, in the news release, that the ever-changing work of protecting animal health keeps things interesting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cHaving the opportunity to collaborate with many people in the ag industry is fulfilling,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cI strive to be an asset to the TDA animal health division team and beyond.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Johnson also raises Polled Hereford cattle on a Tennessee Century Farm in Coffee County. GN<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Veterinarian Dr. Jill Johnson of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture received the Governor’s Excellence in Service Award. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":19,"featured_media":68,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9333","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-stories"],"yoast_head":"\n