Experiment station) has served as the backbone of tennessee's agri-forestry economy through research, innovation, and application

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Tennessee $1,568,948 through the Cooperative Forestry Research (McIntire-Stennis) program on October 1, 2025. The award funds forestry research and education conducted by UT AG Research across ten Research and Education Centers operating 40,000 acres of field laboratories throughout Tennessee. Research activities address challenges in agriculture and natural resources through solution-oriented investigation and knowledge dissemination to farmers, allied industries, and consumers. UT AG Research deploys more than 850 faculty, staff, and graduate students across seven academic departments and one school of natural resources, with approximately 150 faculty holding research appointments. The centers conduct field trials under real-world conditions and host roughly 20 field days annually, attracting tens of thousands of participants from across the state, region, and beyond. Research and outreach also provide hands-on learning for college students and youth. Performance occurs in Knoxville, Tennessee, with the period of performance running through September 30, 2027. Work is guided by the UT Institute of Agriculture's strategic plans and UT AG Research's Strategic Action Plan, which emphasizes integrated, interdisciplinary programs including the UT One Health Initiative and precision and digital agriculture.

As the state's top industry, agri-forestry contributes $103 billion annually to tennessee's economy. Working in tandem with UT extension, more than 850 agresearch faculty, staff, and graduate students address challenges facing agriculture and natural resources through solution-oriented research and dissemination of knowledge to farmers, allied industries, and consumers. UT agresearch operates ten research and education centers (RECS) across tennessee, covering diverse geographies, production systems, crops, and livestock. These 40,000 acres of field laboratories allow researchers to conduct trials under real world conditions and serve as platforms for outreach through roughly 20 field days each year, attracting tens of thousands of participants from across the state, region, and beyond. The RECS also provide hands-on learning for college students and youth. Agresearch encompasses seven academic departments and one school of natural resources, with about 150 faculty holding research appointments. Guided by the UT institute of agriculture's a decade of excellence (2018-2028) and growing greatness (2025-2030) strategic plans, UT agresearch has established the agresearch strategic action plan (ASAP) as a roadmap to meet state and national needs. ASAP focuses on balancing a portfolio of integrated, interdisciplinary programs; cultivating collaborative teams; advancing innovative concepts with structured support; and sustaining research capacity through targeted investments. Four thematic integrated programs address complex, emerging challenges: UT one health initiative - a UT system-wide program housed within agresearch that advances human, animal, plant, and environmental health to promote economic growth and ecosystem resilience at local, national, and global levels. Precision and digital agriculture - a transdisciplinary effort incorporating artificial intelligence, sensing technologies (e.g., drones and robotics), and data analytics to enhance production efficiency, conserve finite natural resources, reduce labor demands, and improve profitability. Projects span plant and animal systems, enabling producers to make informed, data driven decisions. Agricultural genomics and synthetic biology - a transformational initiative advancing productivity and resilience in plants and animals through genetic innovation. Research focuses on disease and drought resistance, water-use efficiency, yield improvement, and mitigation of wildlife damage, positioning tennessee at the forefront of next-generation crop and livestock development. Bioeconomy advancement - an interdisciplinary program creating sustainable fuels, chemicals, and materials from renewable or stranded biomass resources. The circular bioeconomy system (CBS), a convergent research initiative between UT/utia and OAK ridge national laboratory, develops technologies that convert biomass (e.g., miscanthus grass) grown on marginal lands into materials for automotive, packaging, and construction industries-stimulating rural economic growth across tennessee and the region. Through these integrated initiatives, UT agresearch enhances the sustainability, profitability, and resilience of tennessee's agricultural and natural resource sectors, ensuring that research-based innovation continues to drive the state's economic vitality and environmental stewardship into the future