Tag Archives: New Farmer Academy

TSU continues to revolutionize farming with 19th annual expo

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) –  For nearly two decades, Tennessee State University has provided vital resources to the State’s small farmers. One of the major resources is the TSU Small Farm Expo. The event is dedicated to supporting small-scale farming, along with providing sustainable practices and agricultural education.

Dr. Chandra Reddy, the dean of the college of agriculture expressed the university’s commitment to the event.

TSU Director of New Farmer Academy and Small Farms, Finis Stribling III

“This is the very purpose of why we exist,” Reddy said. “As a land-grant institution, we want to support the producers.” 

The event drew over 250 attendees, including more than 60 university students, and featured workshops, engagement speakers, and farmers.

Finis Stribling, III chaired this year’s Small Farm Expo and noted that one of those small farmers is Danielle Buyton. Buyton was recognized as the 2023 TSU New Small Farmer of the year and received $3,000 to support her farming efforts. 

“We started this expo about 19 years ago to showcase what TSU is doing in relation to small farms,” Stribling said.

Aria McElroy, a senior agricultural science major with a concentration in environmental science, was among the dozens of students who attended the expo.

Dr. Reddy trying a bitter melon beverage at one of the food crop tables during the Small Farm Expo at TSU.

“After I graduate in May, I would love to work with the Natural Resources Conservation Service and get a strong foundation of what conservation is like and how I can bring that to private and public land.”

Aria, an 1890 Farm Bill scholar, also highlighted the significance of seeing Black farmers and landowners.

“It’s really good for TSU to have this event. Just seeing black farm and landowners in this space is great.”

In addition to chairing the expo, Stribling is the director of the academy. He is also a third-generation farmer and established the academy to support beginner small farmers across the country.Stribling noted how the New Farmer Academy graduates play a pivotal role in expanding the small farming community to sustain production in our ecosystem.

During the Small Farmer recognition program, Danielle Buyton, was announced as the 2023 TSU New Small Farmer of the year and received $3,000 in total to support her farming efforts. 

“We are here to showcase research relevant to small farms across Tennessee,” he said.

Stribling added that Buyton is also a graduate of the TSU New Farmer Academy, the only academy of its kind in the State that has graduated over 530 farmers from across the country.  

Tennessee Agriculture Commissioner Charlie Hatcher was one of several state officials who attended the expo and praised the New Farmer Academy, reaffirming the importance of supporting small-scale farming and sustainable agriculture practices. 

“It’s one of the best training programs for new farmers and beginning farmers in the United States. It’s been so impactful,” Hatcher said.

Aria McElroy

“It’s one of the most worthwhile programs we need to get behind. It’s going to make a difference in the interests of people.”

Reggie Marshall is a small farmer working to have an impact and credits TSU for his success. Marshall is also one of the first graduates of the TSU New Farmer Academy established in 2014. As he walked and greeted others at the expo he reflected on the important work the TSU College of Agriculture is doing for small farmers across the state.  

“In order to make these small farms viable, we need programs like the New Farm Academy because it walks you through every phase of getting started,” he explained.

Sydney Wyche

The Expo featured speakers from local, state and federal levels, and provided workshops on topics such as urban agriculture, hemp research, organic agriculture, vertical gardening, bee keeping, food demonstrations, food crop production, and more.

TSU student, Sydney Wyche, a sophomore from Huntsville, echoed Aria’s sentiments regarding how beneficial the event was. Sydney attended the Expo to learn more about the agricultural companies and opportunities available.

“I am looking for internships and trying to find new connections,” Wyche said.

Dr. Emmanuel Omondi, Assistant Professor of Agronomy and Industrial Hemp Extension Specialist during the Small farm expo.

“I wanted to learn more about the agricultural companies. From the medicine you take to what you eat, agriculture is connected to everything.”

In addition to being a resource, the expo serves as a platform to bring small farmers together and as well as extension agencies from across the state.  

TSU New Farmer Academy graduates prospective farmers from across the country

NASHVILLE, Tenn . (TSU News Service) – Individuals from across the nation looking to become farmers graduated from Tennessee State University’s New Farmer Academy on Sept. 16.

The seven-month program was started by the university’s College of Agriculture in 2014. Participants meet the third Monday in each month from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and cover topics that include agricultural leadership and regulations, financial planning, hydroponics and irrigation, organic production, hemp production, soil fertility and suitability, and drone usage.

Finis Stribling, TSU area extension specialist and Academy coordinator, speaks to participants. (Photo by Michael McLendon, TSU Media Relations)

The Academy, which also offers classes in West and East Tennessee, is the only one of its kind in Tennessee. Its first year, the program had nine participants. This year, 38 graduated from the Middle Tennessee class, which finished this week. TSU President Glenda Glover was among the speakers who addressed the graduates on their final day.

One of the participants, Brian MacDonald, flew in each month from Orange County, California. After visiting Tennessee several years ago, he decided it is a place where he would like to retire, and do some organic farming.

“I have this dream of owning a farm,” said MacDonald, who is a retired president and chief financial officer for an electronics company. 

On the farm, he said he would set up a program for disadvantaged youth that would allow them to grow their own produce and possibly sell it, “basically teach them how to run a business, and how to sustain themselves in life.”

“When I was a kid, I was raised by a single mom for the most part,” recalled MacDonald, who is looking for farmland in Tennessee. “But there was a small portion of my life where I had an opportunity to have a horse for nine months. And I learned how to take care of it, and it taught me responsibility. I feel like, if I can have a program for kids where they can take care of plants, and to teach them the responsibility of doing that, it may give them a leg up.”

Graduate Daniel Harpstead traveled from Philadelphia to attend the Academy, and said he also plans to retire in Tennessee where he owns a 33-acre farm in Culleoka. Harpstead said he doesn’t yet know what he’s going to grow on the farm, but that the class has given him some ideas, and guidance.

“I’ve had an opportunity to learn a lot, and I plan to put it to good use,” he said.

John Ferrell, TSU extension agent for Franklin County, Tennessee, talks to participants about irrigation. (Photo by Lucas Johnson, TSU Media Relations)

Shannon Summer also said the class was very beneficial. The retired Army veteran has a farm in Williamson County and is planning to grow hemp on it.

“What I’ve received out of it (the class) is a broad spectrum, an overview of agriculture in different arenas,” she said.

Hemp research and production was one of the main topics of this year’s class. Finis Stribling, the Academy’s coordinator and a TSU area extension specialist, said some of the graduates have already started producing hemp, and others are curious. 

“It’s a niche crop that can be utilized for small scale farmers,” said Stribling. “A lot of farmers are growing an acre, half-acre, or quarter-acre just to gain some experience.”

Ashley Richmond of Chicago was another long distance traveler to the class. A Nashville native, she and her family have a 10-acre farm in Cross Plains, Tennessee. They use one acre for hemp. 

Richmond said one of the main reasons she’s interested in hemp is because some of the senior members of her family currently use it for medicinal purposes. 

“Just seeing some aging family members around me who have issues with pain,” she said. “So I thought it was a good idea to get into the industry myself. It provides help for people who are in my life.”

Another class topic that drew strong interest is the growing use of drones in agriculture. More farmers are beginning to use them to locate livestock, detect nutrient deficiencies in croplands, and inspect water lines.

TSU Ag Professor Dr. Thomas Broyles talks to Academy participants about the use of drones. (Photo by Lucas Johnson, TSU Media Relations)

“They’ll fly along those pipelines with the drones to see if any pipes have burst, so they don’t have to walk the fields,” said John Lee, a natural resource specialist with the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), and one of the Academy’s guest speakers.

Stribling said the next class is scheduled for March 2020 and he currently has a waiting list of 15 people.

For more information about the New Farmer Academy and TSU’s College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

TSU New Farmer Academy highlights hemp production

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Prospective farmers from across the country learned about hemp production at Tennessee State University’s New Farmer Academy on Monday.

The Academy class, the only one of its kind in Tennessee, meets at the Pavilion Agricultural Research and Education Center (The Farm) near the main campus.

Finis Stribling, TSU area extension specialist and Academy coordinator, speaks to participants about hemp. (TSU Media Relations)

Participants come together the third Monday in each month over seven months and cover topics that include agricultural leadership and regulations, financial planning, hydroponics and irrigation, and organic production.

On Aug. 19, there was a special discussion about hemp, the new cash crop in Tennessee and abroad. According to recent licensing data, about 4,000 Tennessee farmers and businesses are licensed to grow hemp or cannabidiol (CBD). Collectively, that’s about 40,000 acres of hemp across the state.

Finis Stribling is the Academy’s coordinator and a TSU area extension specialist. He said some of the farmers in his class have already started producing hemp, and others are curious.

“It’s a niche crop that can be utilized for small scale farmers,” Stribling said. “A lot of farmers are growing an acre, half-acre, or quarter-acre just to gain some experience.”

Stribling said part of the discussion on Monday will involve economic data on hemp, such as, “how much money it would take to grow an acre of hemp.”

For instance, a license to grow a minimum of 1 to 5 acres of hemp costs $250.

Karla Kean is the TSU extension agent for horticulture and small farms in Montgomery County. She was one of the hemp presenters at the Academy class, which wraps up next month.

She urged those interested in growing hemp to learn as much as they can about it, and start with a small amount of acres if they haven’t farmed or gardened before.

Products made from hemp. (TSU College of Agriculture)

“Make sure you’ve done your research,” she said. “There’s a lot more to learn about it, more so than a commodity crop like soybeans or corn.”

Ashley Richmond of Chicago has been traveling to Nashville each month to attend the Academy. A Nashville native, she and her family have a 10-acre farm in Cross Plains, Tennessee. They use one acre for hemp.

Richmond said one of the main reasons she’s interested in hemp is because some of the senior members of her family currently use it for medicinal purposes.

“Just seeing some aging family members around me who have issues with pain,” she said. “So I thought it was a good idea to get into the industry myself. It provides help for people who are in my life.”

Tennessee State is among the nation’s leaders in hemp research. TSU’s College of Agriculture has hosted several hemp workshops, and has charged a team of scientists to develop hemp production practices for Tennessee. The research projects include developing hemp nutritional products for human consumption and studying the economic viability of hemp production. Currently, the university is growing and evaluating 10 varieties of hemp.

For more information about TSU’s College of Agriculture, visit http://www.tnstate.edu/agriculture/.

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a  premier, historically black university and land-grant institution offering 38 bachelor’s degree programs, 24 master’s degree programs, and seven doctoral degrees.  TSU is a comprehensive research intensive institution with a R-2 Carnegie designation, and has a graduate school on its downtown Avon Williams Campus, along with the Otis Floyd Nursery Research Center in McMinnville, Tennessee.  With a commitment to excellence, Tennessee State University provides students  with a quality education in a nurturing and innovative environment that prepares them as alumni to be global leaders in every facet of society. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Tennessee State University Receives USDA Grant to Aid Veteran, New and Socially Disadvantaged Farmers

Funds focus on outreach and technical assistance to diversify American Agriculture

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – Tennessee State University has received funding to help beginning and socially disadvantaged farmers, veteran farmers and ranchers build a more resilient agriculture system.

The University’s College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences received $188,055 recently from the U.S. Department of Agriculture as part of a $9.7 million grant to educate and provide technical assistance to agriculture businesses.

The grant, distributed through the Outreach and Assistance for Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Grant Program, will help faculty and extension agents from the University encourage, educate and assist socially and financially disadvantaged farmers and producers to operate their farms more efficiently, and if able, purchase new farmland and become even more successful farmers and producers.

“We will specifically focus on socially disadvantaged farmers and land owners, and try to educate them on a variety of financial and technical help, and the opportunities available,” said Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean and director of Research and administrator of Extension in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences. “We want to make sure that they are on an even footing with large-farm owners when it comes to technical assistance and funding opportunities.”

The grant money, according to Dr. Arvazena Clardy, assistant professor of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, will be used to conduct workshops around the state, and educate farmers and producers on business development and expansion, small herd management, plant nutrition, and food safety and new farm technology among other topics.

The grant will also be used toward a future New Farmer Academy where new owners and potential owners of small acreages receive training on ways to best utilize their land for crops and livestock. The most recent five-month academy graduated nine candidates who learned about opportunities to expand into new areas of production, gain access to and knowledge about federal funds and programs, as well as develop new marketing strategies to make them more successful.

The goal, said Clardy, is to work with small and limited resource producers, farmers and landowners, and work individually with them on specific problems related to their farms and production.

“We are committed to improving the economic conditions of the socially disadvantaged farmers and landowners here in Tennessee,” said Clardy. “This grant will give us the opportunity to educate them about the accessibility of programs and new farm technology, as well as provide hands-on training, and one-on-one outreach and technical assistance.”

The grant was announced December 3 by USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack, who described the funding as part of “our ongoing commitment” to identify, recruit and train a vibrant next generation of farmers and ranchers who can carry American agriculture into the future. “It is also part of our pledge to assist military veterans find economic opportunity as they return to civilian life,” Vilsack added.

 

 

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 42 undergraduate, 24 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

New Ag Academy Graduates Nine, Helps New Farmers and Returning Veterans Develop Successful Farming Skills and Techniques

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Nine farmers who completed a five-month training in modern farming techniques at TSU’s new Farmer Academy in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, receive their certificates following their graduation recently. The academy, organized by the Cooperative Extension Program, was intended for potential owners of small acreages looking for ways to best utilize their land for crops and livestock. Finis Stribling III, TSU Area Extension specialist, fourth from right (standing), was the coordinator of the program.


NASHVILLE, Tenn.
(TSU News Service) – Entering the modern farming industry as a newcomer requires specialized training to be successful, and Tennessee State University has answered the call with the establishment of a New Farmer Academy.

On Monday, the academy, organized by the University’s Cooperative Extension Program in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, graduated its first nine candidates after five months of extensive training.

Graduates included new owners and potential owners of small acreages looking for ways to best utilize their land for crops and livestock.

They covered topics such as agricultural leadership and regulations, financial planning, hydroponics and irrigation, organic production, farm equipment selection, Soil fertility and suitability, and value-added agribusiness, among others.

As a newcomer in the farming business, the academy was an eye opener for Alonzo Tate, a 2012 retired serviceman, who is looking for ways to improve his 200 acres in Oakland, Tennessee, where he raises goats, chickens, dairy cattle, and hopes to soon add hogs to the mix.

“In the 22 years I spent in the Navy, farming dramatically changed,” said Tate, “Not knowing that, I jumped in with both feet, buying goats and fencing and equipment, not really having any idea of the amount of knowledge that’s out there today. I could have saved myself a lot of money had I taken this class before I started.”

For farmers like Tate and his fellow graduates, many of whom already have established operations, the New Farmer Academy also presents opportunities to expand into new areas of production, gain access to and knowledge about federal funds and programs, as well as develop new marketing strategies to make them more successful in the long run, organizers say.

Although the program is new, organizers say how engaged the participants were during the course of the academy made a big difference and a great impact on the USDA’s recent call for new policy changes to “improve the financial security of new and beginning farmers and ranchers.”

“This year has been a great success,” said Finis Stribling III, TSU Area Extension specialist and coordinator of the New Farmer Academy program. “We had a fairly small group, and the small class size was ideal in addressing the needs of each small farmer in the program.”

He said because each farmer faces unique and differenct challenges, they visited each participant’s farm to ensure the training was tailored to address their specific needs.

Speaking at the graduation ceremony, Dr. Chandra Reddy, dean and director of Research and administrator of Extension in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, congratulated the graduates for their perseverance and eagerness to develop new skills and improve themselves.

“We are proud of you and will continue to track your progress as you try to convert the ideas, concepts, and practical experiences you learned here into successful businesses,” Reddy said.

Dr. Lesia Crumpton-Young, associate vice president for Research and Sponsored Programs, echoed Dean Reddy’s sentiments of a hopeful future. “I congratulate you, I applaud your success, and, most importantly, I look forward to seeing what you accomplish in the future,” she said.

The Associate Dean for Extension, Dr. Latif Lighari, said the opportunity to train “burgeoning” new farmers and returning veterans was necessary to help them get the education, as well as develop the skills and training that would ensure long-term sustainable success.

“Part of our mission as a land-grant institution is to extend this kind of practical, research-driven information to the people who need it most,” Lighari said. “This group of upstart small farmers is an excellent example of the kinds of people who can partner with Tennessee State University, the CAHNS, and the Cooperative Extension Program to create a better, more prosperous tomorrow.”

Jai Templeton, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, one of many officials at the ceremony, reminded the graduates about their part in the state’s $67 billion farming and forestry industry, and thanked them for their commitment to the training program.

“I know the six month commitment you made here took you away from your farm but we’re looking to you to take this information back into your communities and be the leaders who help keep agriculture at the top of Tennessee’s economy,” the deputy commissioner said.

Plans are underway for the 2015 Farmer Academy, which is scheduled for June, organizers say. For more information visit www.tnstate.edu/agriculture or www.tnstate.edu/extension.

 

Department of Media Relations

Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

About Tennessee State University

With more than 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 42 undergraduate, 24 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

TSU’s Farmer Academy Inspires New Generation of Farmers

Academy Coincides with USDA’s Support for Beginning Farmers and Ranchers

 

Krysta Harden, deputy secretary of Agriculture, addresses members of The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, and other stakeholders during her one-day visit to the University January 21. The USDA recently announced new policy changes meant to improve the financial security of new and beginning farmers and ranchers. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)
Krysta Harden, deputy secretary of Agriculture, addresses members of The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences, and other stakeholders during her one-day visit to the University January 21. The USDA recently announced new policy changes meant to improve the financial security of new and beginning farmers and ranchers. (Photo by John Cross, TSU Media Relations)

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service)  – The College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences (CAHNS) Cooperative Extension Program at Tennessee State University began hosting a “New Farmer Academy” June 16 to help inspire a new generation of farmers, ranchers and returning veterans to develop successful small farm enterprises in Tennessee.

The program, which is directed toward owners and potential owners of small acreages who desire information on how to best utilize their land and other resources to produce crops and raise livestock, meets on the third Monday of each month from June to October, with graduation set for November 17.

According to Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean for Extension, in addition to helping familiarize beginning farmers with the new USDA policies and website, the New Farmer Academy will provide six months of intensive, hands-on training on the practical aspects of running a farm.

“We also have arranged for a mentorship program with existing successful farmers who can provide valuable tips from their own experience,” said Lighari.

The academy coincides with a recent announcement from the U.S. Agriculture Deputy Secretary Krysta Harden speaking about new policy changes meant to “improve the financial security of new and beginning farmers and ranchers,” according to a USDA news release.

In addition to the policy changes, Deputy Secretary Harden, who visited TSU in January, unveiled a new website—www.usda.gov/newfarmers—to provide a convenient resource to help those farmers and ranchers take advantage of these programs.

“New and beginning farmers are the future of American agriculture,” said Deputy Secretary Harden. “The average age of an American farmer is 58 and rising, so we must help new farmers get started if America is going to continue feeding the world and maintain a strong agriculture economy. The new policies announced today will help give beginning farmers the financial security they need to succeed. Our new online tool will provide one-stop shopping for beginning farmers to learn more about accessing USDA services that can help their operations thrive.”

In May, the USDA announced a $6 million award to universities and cooperative state extension services to develop online decision tools and other materials and train experts to educate producers about several key farm bill programs. TSU received $30,000 under this program to educate farmers on how to use the new risk reduction policies and to develop web-based decision tools.

The cost to attend the academy is $150 per person and includes all educational material and a lunch at each session. To register, contact Rhonda Ewing at 615.963.1351 or [email protected].  For more information about this program, contact Finis Stribling at 931.375.5301 or [email protected].

 

 

Department of Media Relations
Tennessee State University
3500 John Merritt Boulevard
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
615.963.5331

 

About Tennessee State University

With nearly 9,000 students, Tennessee State University is Nashville’s only public university, and is a comprehensive, urban, co-educational, land-grant university offering 38 undergraduate, 22 graduate and seven doctoral programs. TSU has earned a top 20 ranking for Historically Black Colleges and Universities according to U.S. News and World Report, and rated as one of the top universities in the country by Washington Monthly for social mobility, research and community service. Founded in 1912, Tennessee State University celebrated 100 years in Nashville during 2012. Visit the University online at tnstate.edu.

Cooperative Extension’s Farmer Academy Training to Benefit Returning Veterans, Ranchers and New Farmers

Unknown-2NASHVILLE, Tenn. (TSU News Service) – The Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension program in the College of Agriculture, Human and Natural Sciences will host a “New Farmer Academy” to help inspire a new generation of farmers, ranchers and returning veterans to develop successful small farm enterprises in the state, beginning June 16.

The academy, which targets potential owners of small acreages who desire information on how to best utilize their land and other resources to produce crops and raise livestock, will meet on the third Monday of each month from June to October, with graduation set for November 17. Graduates will earn a certificate while gaining hands-on practical agricultural training and advice from mentors. Each participant will receive a notebook including workshop presentations and other helpful resources.

“Here at Tennessee State University, we are very pleased to provide this opportunity to anyone but specifically to new farmers and returning veterans who are interested in starting a small farm operation in Tennessee,” said Dr. Latif Lighari, associate dean for Extension.

Topics to be addressed during the six-month program include: Agricultural Leadership, Agricultural Regulations; Agri-Tourism; Enterprise Selection; Financial Planning; Fruit and Vegetable Production; Hydroponics and Irrigation; Organic Production; Farm Equipment Selection, Maintenance and Safety; Soil Fertility and Suitability; Small Flock Poultry Production; and Value-Added Agribusiness and Direct Marketing Techniques.

The cost to attend is $150 per person and includes all educational material and a lunch at each session. To register, contact Rhonda Ewing at (615) 963-1351 or [email protected]. For more information about this program, contact Finis Stribling at (931) 375-5301 or [email protected].