[{"_1":2,"_110":-5,"_111":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86,98],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},"mediaId",6695794,"mediaKeyId","2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55","parentId",2473535,"title","Tennessee agriculture officials outline budget increases for cost‑share, conservation and youth programs","audioSeconds",3230,"startMs",130615,"endMs",3360750,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55&start=130&end=3360","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55/thumbnail_130615.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6695794/Tennessee-agriculture-officials-outline-budget-increases-for-costshare-conservation-and-youth-programs","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6695794-6b54f904d5a3e2fa14a2082e59e64807/orig.mp4?Expires=1775452456&Signature=VRQP7NRyGY51N9nkfVGv4rJFjJIWI24WYP4ZmZnBTSN~1R-JKowG0xP~GeL9gFdPQ~1suiYg1YJZEUyzad8OLcMsTcVqscLIpH5eh~KYL4T6GSerUIWuXRukcM~pwu28cwexZy8V8QQgXjUdXyzpNEvaG3i2jjQBCHEyx72UEI7HTgapHlkmco8lMfyCOClKboc01JJ3HQbsvUCmdG6uU52k0eizeGTpHhUbs7EOjUaizumRvH~is0J6UZ7qpJbuwzWGN45sYU1IQnfck0BLqM1uxdXvzp5h7SXuxlgWjRPIbo5KchEePKnNnnqMHJMCWE9fF6LaocvfTn0yUa9sig__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","TN State Legislature","date","2025-03-03T00:00:00Z","article","Commissioner Hatcher of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture told the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 3 that the department supports the governor’s agricultural budget and highlighted new and expanded programs to support producers and rural communities.

The proposal includes a $15 million recurring increase for AgTrack/Ag Enterprise Fund, a $5 million recurring boost for the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program (TAEP), $25 million for a Farmland Conservation Fund to purchase permanent conservation easements, $1,866,300 to establish a state meat inspection program, and $46 million in capital funding for 4‑H centers and a $46 million request for an FFA lodge at Camp Clements, the commissioner said.

“We really like this proposed budget,” Commissioner Hatcher said, calling the measures “workforce development tools” that support recruitment and retention in agriculture and forestry. Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt described Ag Enterprise Fund awards as typically “probably $50,000 to $100,000 is the average award,” and outlined how the program differs from TAEP and AgTrack: TAEP targets individual producers, Ag Enterprise Fund supports multi‑operation capital projects (quarter cost‑share up to $100,000), and AgTrack targets multimillion‑dollar projects that require at least $2 million in private capital.

Committee members pressed for details on how the additional AgTrack dollars would be used for economic development. Holt said the $15 million recurring line will create a permanent pool the department can use to incentivize agricultural and forestry economic projects, and to market Tennessee to domestic and international investors.

Presenters also described the Farmland Conservation Fund as a voluntary tool to slow farmland loss and preserve food‑and‑fiber production. Commissioner Hatcher said Tennessee is losing roughly 10 acres of farmland per hour and stressed the state’s long‑term economic interest in protecting family farms.

On meat processing, the department requested funding for a state meat inspection program to assist small and producer‑processors with branding and compliance. The department additionally reviewed federal COVID relief (ARPA) projects for agriculture and forestry, including workforce training at the UT meat industry facility and farm‑to‑food‑bank efforts that remain active.

The department detailed recurring allocations to 4‑H and FFA: historically recurring support includes $250,000 to 4‑H and $500,000 to the FFA foundation; the capital requests would fund STEM centers at four 4‑H sites, cabin additions at Lone Oaks, preservation at Camp Woodley and a modern lodge at Camp Clements to increase capacity for leadership training and statewide programs.

Committee members asked whether private partners would contribute to capital projects; Philip Baker, chairman of the Tennessee FFA Foundation Board, said the foundation raises philanthropic support but the scale of the requested lodge and center projects makes state assistance necessary. Ryan Hensley, director of the 4‑H foundation, said recurring funds support events such as 4‑H Congress and school enrichment programs; capital funds would expand STEM and overnight capacity to reach more students.

Committee members also discussed TAEP administration and the department’s move to online applications, which budget staff said improved efficiency and timeliness of awards. Budget director Samantha Wilson said the base TAEP budget is $26.5 million and the department spends most of that each year, with timing causing nominal carryover only.

The presentation closed with an industry outlook: Hatcher warned of a historic net farm income decline and ongoing uncertainty in trade and federal funding, and said recovery in disaster zones such as Northeast Tennessee will be protracted.

The committee did not take any votes during the hearing; staff said additional detailed budget materials were available on the committee dashboard and that members could follow up with department staff for award‑level data and implementation timelines.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Finance, Ways, and Means Committee\tMar 3, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Department of Agriculture officials presented the governor's proposed budget to the Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 3, 2025, highlighting recurring additions for Ag Enterprise/AgTrack, Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program (TAEP), a Farmland Conservation Fund and capital investments for 4‑H and FFA facilities.","taxTitle","taxId",0,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6695780,"State Board of Education reports flat budget, rising educator‑discipline caseloads and upcoming rulemaking",1571,6981710,8553215,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55&start=6981&end=8553","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55/thumbnail_6981710.jpg","/articles/6695780/State-Board-of-Education-reports-flat-budget-rising-educatordiscipline-caseloads-and-upcoming-rulemaking","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6695780-df688fe18056c71d35964a7d198917ae/orig.mp4?Expires=1775452456&Signature=fOqtjwmqSdc1WFGYPg4lin8XCLlm08p1FRvPDg7JtZjmlnwD3m-Xw~uQy1mfPmDXizu-E0yahvF2~liF8oKeseT5hIzqJ1k0BPP220bGS2krW~ZiZgdUSYubgf7qtSVZAowKa4MuOJJH-oVWhwAo7SXI-WQrUGhEW-G-57jWrU6ZyeGLhaR8bOZo4b8mE6Oo21oB7xGPfgpsEQ3K1WXYdDYr6zM-jQRfOXekgC2J54tvz9YQk9eK3Zeu2Xdm7pDSoDawrLJFBoQ-AILZ~~O4wh5UOaXXxH4gbqB~OWELwONA0O1z-MkKeZ7U~wr9ZjChCc-uF5UzriNdzy~dKcQ1Jg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Sarah Morrison, executive director of the Tennessee State Board of Education, told the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 3 that the board’s budget is essentially flat for the coming year and that a requested attorney position for educator‑licensure discipline work was not funded.

“Our budget remains flat at $3,300,000,” Nathan James, deputy executive director, told the committee. Morrison and deputies described a near doubling in misconduct reports to the board over recent years: “The last year, 2024, that we have available, we had 919,” Morrison said, up from 407 in 2020. Board staff said about half of reports lead to open cases and that three attorneys and three paralegals currently handle intake, investigation and resolution. The board requested an additional attorney position that would reduce caseloads and improve timeliness; that position was not funded in the governor’s submission.

Morrison outlined other board responsibilities that intersect with the budget: an eight‑year standards review cycle (the board is currently conducting an ELA review with public comment rounds), an educator preparation “report card” that tracks preparation program performance and teacher retention, and licensure rule reviews led by a licensure review committee. The board said it removed the edTPA performance assessment requirement from the licensure rules after stakeholder review and voted to adopt that change at its February meeting.

The board also described near‑term rulemaking tied to recent legislation. Morrison said the board will hold special meetings to adopt emergency and regular rules for the Education Freedom Scholarships and to implement TISA‑required hearings for districts and charters graded D or F for two consecutive years; those hearings are scheduled to begin in spring 2026 under the statute’s timetable and the board has been meeting with districts and national experts to design the process.

On summer school and early intervention, board staff said participation and outcomes look promising where districts provide effective summer programs and that the board continues to encourage early screening and intervention before third grade. Committee members asked about teacher mental‑health pressures and classroom behavior; Morrison said districts are requesting more counselors, psychologists and social workers and that better training on behavioral management and de‑escalation is part of the board’s educator‑preparation work.

No funding decisions were made during the hearing. The board asked legislators to consider the discipline workload and to engage with the board on future resource needs tied to licensure and standards work.","The Tennessee State Board of Education told the House committee its operating budget remains flat, that educator‑discipline reports have more than doubled since 2020, and that the board is preparing rulemaking on Education Freedom Scholarships and implementing TISA hearing requirements next year.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6695785,"TWRA asks for supplemental capital and warns of funding model strain as license sales stagnate",3618,3363130,6981210,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55&start=3363&end=6981","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55/thumbnail_3363130.jpg","/articles/6695785/TWRA-asks-for-supplemental-capital-and-warns-of-funding-model-strain-as-license-sales-stagnate","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6695785-37afc0822719944e8acefb5f3263e8e2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775452456&Signature=OR-Ixry0m2eoedtEul1CIdOP9VOBosAJFMT781~mMuavUUK1Ek~ESKH49ejC-As8Y33CdywhhXcpihfBuMMXqzmtQQsCj5kpfsNrpVA9Oxqr8786nOQzzsGgmTOfbJvX79wTlnhOTpXF5JwkTj2CkTQ3lCuC6L4jdWUYRuYOP9HNhHnCzMsodcLbjhmiWdcKMBK0Q8WC4~YGD4~Pv1En5iA8Lz3~bzAvRumcXi6TNZeMVPCcRPz93JFLcFFqnH--pCx5XplCQJM8ePNo4qddISReuodD9~-kLEPHf5UxyKMOaTFe-WYHArukKjU~0c9UjbmJnMGjABiMLhWmrBNDUw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Director Max Don of the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency told the House Finance, Ways and Means Committee on March 3 that TWRA’s traditional funding model — largely license sales plus federal Pittman‑Robertson and Dingell‑Johnson apportionments — is insufficient to cover rising costs and deferred maintenance.

“We have 750 staff members at the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency,” Director Max Don said in his opening remarks, outlining the agency’s field operations, hatcheries, boat access areas and wildlife management areas. TWRA manages about 1.6 million acres in partnership with federal partners and owns roughly 550,000 acres outright, the director said.

Don asked the committee to consider a $30 million nonrecurring general fund subsidy in the governor’s proposal to address CPI shortfalls, salary compensation impacts and deferred maintenance. He said TWRA was about 32% behind on CPI adjustments since its last license fee increase in 2015 and that, without additional revenue, the agency faces continuing service and maintenance pressures.

The agency described reserves across three funds — wildlife, boating and a wetlands acquisition fund funded by the state real estate transfer tax — and explained why they are held. The director said wildlife fund reserves cover roughly six months of operating costs, the boating fund about 16 months, and the wetlands fund approximately 15 months given the agency’s requirements for purchases and maintenance of acquired lands and facilities.

TWRA presented multiple challenges: stagnant license sales, rising costs for access and habitat management, increased demand for public access to water and land, chronic wildlife diseases (chronic wasting disease and avian influenza impacting waterfowl and other species), human‑wildlife conflicts (notably more bear incidents near tourist areas), and capacity constraints that have left about 20 officer vacancies unfilled to save costs.

The director and deputies defended land acquisition practices and said purchases come from willing sellers, appraised value and statutory limits on the wetlands acquisition fund. They described purchases that expand existing wildlife management areas or protect wetlands that provide public access for hunting and fishing. Committee members raised concerns that additional state ownership can shift local tax burdens and increase long‑term maintenance obligations.

On revenue measures, TWRA described boat registration, marine fuel tax and federal apportionments as key funding sources and said it is studying options to collect contributions from paddlers and commercial operators using boat access. Officials also discussed Lake Halford’s pilot user‑fee program and said first‑year revenue is modest and that revenue is deposited into the agency’s wildlife fund rather than being statutorily earmarked for that lake.

Director Don told the committee that if the agency does not obtain additional funds it will continue to prioritize essential services but that cuts would affect response times and conservation work in the field. The agency requested targeted capital funding for shooting ranges, hunter education centers, fish hatcheries and deferred maintenance projects, and said the $30 million general‑fund request in the governor’s budget would be used for those items and to address salary compensation gaps that were covered for some other state agencies but not TWRA.

No votes were taken during the hearing. TWRA said it will continue to work with the administration and the legislature on funding options and asked legislators to consider long‑term revenue models to support public access and habitat work.","The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency told lawmakers it is behind on CPI, depends heavily on license and federal apportionment revenue, and is requesting general‑fund help for capital projects while exploring fee changes and new user fees amid staffing shortages and rising land‑management costs.",{"_33":99,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":100,"_41":101,"_43":102,"_45":103,"_47":104,"_49":105,"_51":106,"_53":107,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":108,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":109,"_67":-5,"_68":69,"_70":-5,"_71":72,"_73":72},6695790,"State veterinarian and agriculture officials describe bird flu impacts and gaps in federal support",753,2035420,2789220,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55&start=2035&end=2789","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2473535-7a74ec9cee9d8c2b09d0c29beae88b55/thumbnail_2035420.jpg","/articles/6695790/State-veterinarian-and-agriculture-officials-describe-bird-flu-impacts-and-gaps-in-federal-support","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6695790-f1c8606e0d52914965a259d948206905/orig.mp4?Expires=1775452456&Signature=hf0PPcx-KTNtVuc4SgoIJJRDn2~j3R4ABsknNccDoC7-EkmtVGEPY97sHorjhlRV~vbkMM9WypwW-glOW3R-ruFQ9QmL0duX7-xJKhO8QP3ufz2qdu3Beb~O1l85LaRO0JDN-6UEQkwwFMwKLUc93tM3vjMjjAWgRyWHRIVl7k4AYSpPd5ylAoElIFEOPpRZT3AraHIfAJiGOFlABLdVoFjeZh7luBvPrcRO9QCwl70eVf0NqodIWUoaa2A3LS0GQDURQix1~FKR2Qo1OQ1pmcfelZTPyd2ZGOd-5fJMwhfY9GYSUaN-I6lPhNL98MNrUnup0BiXWTDfiBN~6du45Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","State veterinary and agriculture officials told the Finance, Ways and Means Committee that highly pathogenic avian influenza continues to affect Tennessee poultry and that federal support and policy will shape the state response.

“There's been the virus has changed… we have millions and millions of birds that have been depopulated,” Commissioner Hatcher said during the March 3 hearing, summarizing national concerns about egg prices and ongoing outbreaks. Dr. Samantha Beatty, Tennessee’s state veterinarian, told the committee that the state’s response has been continuous since early 2022 and that officials are evaluating vaccination strategies, indemnity and standing response plans.

Dr. Beatty said the virus’s evolving nature has complicated control strategies: “I can tell you that this disease is very deadly,” she said, noting that some losses have been less severe in Tennessee than in neighboring states but stressing continued risk to commercial and backyard flocks and to wildlife. She said testing and reporting of positive backyard flocks can trigger trade restrictions and that response actions have ranged from quarantines for remote premises to depopulation with federal indemnity where commercial flocks are threatened.

Committee members and department officials discussed federal funding and indemnity. Hatcher and Deputy Commissioner Andy Holt said Tennessee has relied on federal cooperative agreements for testing and indemnity but has also built internal capacity to access emergency funds when federal support is limited. Members asked whether the federal government will continue indemnity payments at current levels; department staff said the question is unresolved and that Secretary Rollins and USDA are engaged in national planning.

Officials described three national policy objectives that emerged from recent interagency discussions: establishing a standing national bird‑flu response plan, reassessing indemnity approaches for affected producers, and developing a vaccine strategy. Hatcher cautioned that vaccination raises international trade issues and must be coordinated with USDA to avoid negative export consequences.

Committee members asked about options for small backyard producers. Dr. Beatty described a range of responses depending on proximity to commercial flocks and the disease’s severity at a premise, and she said the department offers voluntary testing programs through the National Poultry Improvement Plan and will test backyard flocks upon request.

No legislative action was taken during the hearing. Officials recommended continued federal‑state coordination on indemnity and vaccine policy and said additional legislative or budget steps would depend on federal decisions and evolving disease dynamics.","Department of Agriculture and the state veterinarian briefed legislators on ongoing avian influenza outbreaks, the economic impact on egg producers and the need to reassess indemnity and vaccination strategies amid changing virus behavior.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Tennessee agriculture officials outline budget increases for cost‑share, conservation and youth programs

State Board of Education reports flat budget, rising educator‑discipline caseloads and upcoming rulemaking

TWRA asks for supplemental capital and warns of funding model strain as license sales stagnate

State veterinarian and agriculture officials describe bird flu impacts and gaps in federal support