UT Institute of Agriculture asks committee for $3M recurring for research; highlights extension work, flood response, 4‑H and FIFA turf project

Dr. Keith Carver, vice chancellor and senior vice president of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, told the Tennessee House Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on an October meeting date not specified that the institute is seeking a $3 million recurring appropriation to increase research and technology aimed at boosting yields and farm profitability.

Carver told the committee the Institute’s priorities include precision‑agriculture research, work to produce “more food on less land,” and programs to help farmers respond to recent floods. “The biggest way we can help the state, we can help the producer, we can help the consumer is investing in research and technology,” Carver said.

The request comes as Carver described the scope of UT’s land‑grant work across Tennessee: research on roughly 35,000 acres of university‑managed farmland, an extension office in every county, and multiple outreach programs. He said extension logged about 1.8 million in‑person group meetings last year, roughly 34 million digital contacts, and about 195,000 on‑site visits to homes, farms and local businesses. Carver said those extension consultations are funded by the state and some federal sources and are provided free to citizens.

Why it matters: committee members pressed that research and extension underpin farm profitability and recovery after extreme weather, while Tennessee faces long‑term pressures including an aging farmer population, ongoing land loss and market shifts. Carver said university research and county extension work aim to raise yields on smaller acreages and to develop new markets and value‑added products.

Key details from the presentation

- Research and industry ties: Carver said UT Ag Research works with commodity groups and farming families to set research priorities and identified a new public‑private poultry research facility in Spring Hill as an example of industry collaboration. He noted Tennessee’s poultry industry is roughly a $10 billion annual business.

- Flood response and soil testing: Carver described UT’s rapid response after recent floods in East Tennessee, including door‑to‑door damage assessments, soil testing to screen for pollutants and advising farmers on replanting timing. He said teams were still collecting data in Grainger County and that early signs were “very encouraging” for returning to production sooner than initially feared. He told members that petroleum products — for example gasoline and oil from farm equipment — were found swept into waterways and sediments; he added that tests for radioactivity had not detected radionuclides so far.

- Extension scale and services: Carver highlighted the institute’s county presence and programming variety, including mobile veterinary clinics and free health exams for working/canine service dogs. He said extension provides 24/7 digital resources and on‑the‑ground visits across the state.

- Education and workforce: The Herbert College of Agriculture has about 2,200 students, Carver said, with animal science the largest single major (about 456 students). He and committee members discussed the role of 4‑H centers in youth education and workforce development; Carver noted Tennessee’s 4‑H program had roughly 51,000 participants last year and that 4‑H programming starts in third grade.

- Market development and value‑added farming: Carver said value‑added farming generated about $142 million annually and that the number of farmers selling direct to restaurants, consumers or industry has nearly doubled since 2017.

- FIFA 2026 turf project: Carver described a UT plant‑science effort to develop natural turf systems for all 16 U.S., Canadian and Mexican stadiums that will host World Cup matches in 2026, noting UT scientists were working with FIFA’s research team this week to develop turf that will perform across cold, hot and indoor environments.

Questions and committee reactions

Committee members praised extension and asked technical questions about flood impacts and market opportunities. Representative Fritz asked whether any radionuclides or metals of concern had been found in testing; Carver said, “Not so far.” Representative Todd and others praised UT extension’s responsiveness and local outreach; Representative Shaw and Carver discussed the Lone Oaks 4‑H facility in Hardeman County and statewide 4‑H programming.

Carver also described efforts to help farmers expand markets — including agritourism, farmers markets and direct‑to‑consumer sales — and said university economists and researchers are working with commodity groups in West Tennessee and elsewhere to develop best practices and potential new crops or byproducts.

Committee business: two bills rolled

At the start of the meeting the committee addressed its calendar. By unanimous consent, the committee postponed House Bill 125 for two weeks at the request of the sponsor and postponed House Bill 24 for one week at the sponsor’s request. No formal recorded roll‑call votes were taken on those calendar actions.

What was not decided

The committee did not take a formal vote on Dr. Carver’s $3 million recurring request during the meeting; Carver said the institute had placed the funding request among its priorities and that legislators should expect updates on research outcomes as the institute pursues those initiatives.

Ending

Carver concluded by asking lawmakers to continue investing in research and precision agriculture to improve yields and farm income. Committee members invited UTIA staff to return for future updates and scheduled district highlights from committee members for upcoming meetings.