The university of tennessee, our state's 1862 land-grant institution, will deliver cooperative extension programs in all 95 counties that put farmers, ranchers, and foresters first by solving their…

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Tennessee $18,875,464.83 under the Smith-Lever Extension Funding program (CFDA 10.511) on October 1, 2025, for cooperative extension programs spanning all 95 counties in Tennessee through September 30, 2030.

UT Extension will deliver research-backed and producer-tested education in beef cattle and forage production, crop management, farm business analysis, rural enterprise development, natural resources and land management, wildfire and natural disaster preparedness, and family and consumer sciences. Core activities include county-level workshops, coordinated on-farm demonstrations, market and risk-management clinics, leadership and workforce training through 4-H career pathways, industry-recognized certifications, and evidence-based nutrition and physical-activity programming. The extension service will scale technology-enabled programming in precision livestock farming—including robotic-milking demonstrations, integrated sensor networks, automated feed and water monitoring, and data-driven health alerts—alongside digital agriculture decision tools and integrated One Health outreach that safeguards animal health, food safety, and environmental quality at local and regional scales. Working alongside UT AgResearch, the program aims to generate measurable improvements in herd and crop health indicators, individual farm production efficiency, and market readiness for value-added enterprises. Performance occurs in Knoxville, Tennessee.

The university of tennessee, our state's 1862 land-grant institution, will deliver cooperative extension programs in all 95 counties that put farmers, ranchers, and foresters first by solving their most pressing production, labor, and supply-chain challenges, protecting the state's food, fuel, and fiber supply to enhance national security, supporting production of healthy and safe food for consumers, expanding and developing domestic markets, training the next generation of agriculturalists, and fueling innovation that keeps american producers at the forefront of productivity. With smith-lever capacity funds, UT extension will deploy research-backed and producer-tested innovations as well as market-ready education in beef cattle and forage production, crop management, farm business analysis, rural enterprise development, natural resources and land management, wildfire and natural disaster preparedness, and family and consumer sciences. Working alongside UT agresearch, we will aim to scale technology-enabled programming such as precision livestock farming (including robotic-milking demonstrations, integrated sensor networks, automated feed and water monitoring, and data-driven health alerts), digital agriculture decision tools, and integrated one health outreach that safeguards animal health, food SA fety, and environmental quality at local and regional scales. Core activities will include county-level workshops, coordinated on-farm demonstrations, market and riskmanagement clinics, leadership and workforce training through 4-H career pathways, industryrecognized certifications, and evidence-based nutrition and physical-activity programming. Expected deliverables and outcomes include adoption of practices and technologies that increase efficiency and profitability (such as measurable improvements in herd and crop health indicators and individual farm production efficiency); quantifiable gains in market readiness and domestic sales for value-added enterprises; improved resilience of food and fiber supply chains through training on biosecurity, emergency response, and farm continuity planning; household financial capability improvements through debt reduction, increased savings, and emergency-fund preparation; youth credential attainment, workforce placements, and expanded exposure to agricultural career pathways; and community health indicators consistent with improved diet and physical activity. Additional UT extension efforts will provide financial-planning tools for beginning farmers, support succession planning for multigenerational family operations, introduce technology-assisted cropping strategies, and showcase labor-saving technologies that address ongoing workforce shortages. Primary beneficiaries are tennessee farmers, ranchers, foresters, agricultural businesses, rural and urban households, agricultural youth, and community leaders, including support for established and beginning farmers, large and small producers, and those entering emerging agricultural markets. Where appropriate, subrecipient activities may be carried out by partner organizations or county governments for localized demonstrations, field days, and applied training opportunities. Programs and expenditures will align with the approved five-year plan of work, support statewide reporting objectives, and be tracked through nifa systems to ensure transparency and return on public investment. UT exte nsion is proudly committed to outcome-driven accountability.