Tennessee

Happy 2020 from Tennessee AgrAbility Project

There were leadership role changes for TNAP with the retirement of Tim Prather on December 31. TNAP welcomed Troy Dugger on January 1 as project director for UT Extension for Tennessee AgrAbility Project and Tennessee Beginning Farmer Outreach Program. Troy began his work with the Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA) in July 2018 as a program coordinator. He has been involved in providing leadership to Extension educational programs for beginning farmers as well as programs involving specialty and alternative crops, value-added farm enterprises, and sustainable agriculture. With his work in sustainable agriculture, Dugger is also serving as the program assistant for the Sustainable Agriculture Research Education (SARE) program in Tennessee. After completing college at the University of Tennessee, Troy began a career with UT Extension in Hickman County that spanned more than 33 years. Troy served six years as a 4-H Agent and worked as the agriculture agent and county director in Hickman County for a combined 27 years. His educational program areas focused on livestock and forage production, forestry, and providing marketing opportunities for local producers in the establishment of a farmer's market in Centerville.

The Center for Profitable Agriculture is a partnership between the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation and assists Tennessee farmers in analyses, development, and sustainability of value-added agricultural enterprises. Value-added enterprises are those that allow the producer or grower to earn a greater portion of consumer expenditures by processing, packaging, and/or marketing crops, livestock, or other farm resources, and also includes agritourism and direct marketing ventures. CPA delivers these educational programs through presentations, farm visits, consultations, developing materials, and providing training in value-added agriculture for county Extension agents and other agricultural leaders.

Submitted by Tennessee AgrAbility Project