Meet our Team

The Business Development Consultants pursue new industries and expansion of existing agricultural and forestry businesses. They assist through industry development, marketing, technical and industry support, financial assistance, and ideas for innovation.

Mike Brown

Expertise:  Food Manufacturing
Phone:  615-837-5545
Email:  Mike.F.Brown@tn.gov

Mike has been with the Department of Agriculture since 2014, originally serving as Outreach Coordinator for the Consumer and Industry Services division.  In his current role in Business Development, Mike is a resource for new and expanding food manufacturers, assisting them with developing marketing opportunities.

Prior to joining the department, Mike worked as a food marketing and product development consultant.  With 36 years in the food industry, Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a Master of Science from Tennessee State University. 

Christina Slater

Expertise: International Marketing
Phone:  615-837-5323
Email:  Christina.Slater@tn.gov

Christina joined the Business Development team in 2022. As an International Marketing Business Consultant, her works centers on increasing farm income at the global level. One way of doing that is by connecting to buyers in countries across the world. Many times her role includes taking farmers and businesses from Tennessee to those countries oversees to make the connection in-person.

While earning her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Christina studied in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Guatemala. She earned a Master of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics, focusing on agriculture economics and statistics, from the University of Tennessee.

Mary Gammel

Expertise: Crop Production
Phone:  TBD
Email:  Mary.Gammel@tn.gov

Mary joined the Business Development team in 2024. As a Business Consultant, she focuses on grain and crop-related production, including row crops, horticulture, grain handling, domestic and international grain marketing, green housing, and other crop-related tasks. 

Mary grew up on a family farm in West Tennessee, which was established with dairy and has since transitioned to beef cattle. She’s been involved with livestock and row crops since an early age. Before joining the state she was on the team leading the construction at Ford Blue Oval in Stanton, Tenn. Other jobs include Origination Manager at The Archer-Daniels-Midland Company, Cottonseed Commodity Analyst for Informa PLC, and Sales Support for Cargill. She is also a USDA Certified Cotton Classer and holds a Master Beef Certification. Mary is still involved in the operations of her family farm in Fayette County. She spends her recreational time riding horses and competing.

David Neumann

Expertise: Forestry Consultant
Phone:  615-837-5334
Email:  David.Neumann@tn.gov

David joined the TN Department of Agriculture in 2022. As the division’s Forestry Business Consultant he supports growth of the wood products industry by assisting new and expanding forestry businesses.

David has over 30 years of experience in the forest management industry. For nearly 25 years he worked for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as a Forest Marketing and Utilization Specialist. Prior to that role, he was the State Silviculturist and Forest Planning and Operations Analyst. David also operated a private forestry industry consulting business in Michigan. He managed timber sales, conducted timber appraisals, served as an expert witness for timber trespass, and wrote management plans for clients through the Forest Stewardship Program.

He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism, a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, and a master’s degree in Forestry with an emphasis in Silviculture.

Position Vacant

Expertise:  Livestock, Meat Processing
Phone:  615-837-5160
Email:  Business.Development@tn.gov

Kacey Troup

Expertise:  Agritourism
Phone:  615-837-5165
Email:  kacey.troup@tn.gov

Kacey joined the Business Development team in 2019. As a Business Consultant, she focuses on expanding the Agritourism industry. Before becoming a Business Consultant, Kacey worked for UT/TSU Extension in Rutherford County with their 4-H Youth Development program and the Rutherford County Farmers Market.

Growing up in Southern Maryland, Kacey was raised on her family’s Agritourism farm. She moved to Tennessee to attend Middle Tennessee State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness as well as a Master of Education in Ag Educational Leadership. While at MTSU, Kacey chartered and served as the first president of the Agritourism Club. She also served as the Student Coordinator for the MTSU School of Agriculture’s two annual Agritourism events.

Sarah Emery

Expertise:  Pick Tennessee Products
Phone:  615-354-4561
Email:  sarah.emery@tn.gov

Sarah joined the Business Development team in 2024. She is the Director of Pick Tennessee Products, a service that connects consumers to farms, farmers, farmers markets, artisan foods, and farm-related activities across the state.

Sarah is a Tennessee native. She completed her undergraduate degree in Business Administration with a focus on marketing at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. She continued her education at Union University by earning a Master in Business Administration with a focus on leadership. She was a distinguished member of the Beta Gamma Sigma-International Business Honor Society and enriched her academic journey with study abroad experiences in England, Scotland, and Italy.

The Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) was established in 2005 to provide cost share dollars to agricultural producers for the purpose of making long-term investments in Tennessee farms and communities. Participation allows producers to maximize farm profits, adapt to changing market situations, improve operation safety, increase farm efficiency, and make a positive economic impact in their communities.

Learn more here.

To help Tennessee's farmers and agribusinesses make sound marketing decisions, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture provide the Tennessee Market News Service. Tennesseans have relied on this service for many years. The trained reporters below gather and disseminate complete, accurate, unbiased and up to the minute agricultural market news information depicting the current conditions of supply, demand, price, trend, movement and other information affecting the trade of livestock, grain and other commodities.

Timely and reliable information is compiled and updated several times a day through voice mail recordings via a toll-free hotline service provided by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The number to call is 1-800-342-8206. In cooperation with USDA, the market news service also disseminates information statewide through local media. Learn more here.