Administration & Grants Division

The Administration and Grants Division provides budgetary, legal, human resources and communications support to achieve agency goals and objectives in an efficient and cost-effective manner. Staff work with legislators and industry to ensure programs have adequate statutory authority, staffing and clerical support. A variety of programs are included under the purview of this Division, including:

Agricultural Crime Unit

The Agricultural Crime Unit (ACU) is a team of commissioned law  enforcement officers who enforce state laws and regulations related to agriculture, forestry, animal health, and agribusinesses in Tennessee. The ACU is also the primary agency responsible for investigation of suspected wildland arson statewide. To accomplish this important work, the ACU collaborates with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies.

Land and Water Stewardship

The Land and Water Stewardship Section works each day to reduce the impact of various land-use activities on water quality. The staff administers a variety of programs to reach that goal, including the Agricultural Resources Conservation Fund and the Nonpoint Source Grant Program. TDA also reviews nutrient management plans associated with the federal permitting program for Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs), administered by the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. More than 450 farms have applied since the program's inception in 1999.
 

Commodity Distribution

The Commodity Distribution Section administers USDA's food distribution program for the National School Lunch Program. This program supports American agriculture while providing nutritious food to schoolchildren. TDA also administers The Emergency Food Assistance Program, which supplements the diets of low-income people. Each year, millions of pounds of food is ordered and allocated for schools, childcare institutions, and non-profit charities statewide.

Boll Weevil Eradication Program

The Boll Weevil Eradication Program led to the elimination of the pest in Tennessee, up to a 30 percent increase in cotton yields, and a 40 to 90 percent decrease in cotton insecticide use. Monitoring activities to detect any re-infestation by natural or artificial means are now fully funded by cotton growers with a $1 per acre per year assessment.

Tennessee Agricultural Museum

The Tennessee Agricultural Museum provides visitors with an appreciation for agriculture's important past and current contributions to the state's economy and culture. The museum hosts more than 20,000 visitors annually, as well as educational activities and special events throughout the year.