UT AgResearch

We harness the creative energy of more than 850 faculty, specialized staff, and gifted graduate students.

We make the agricultural, forest, and ornamental industries more efficient, improve the quality of rural life, and conserve soil, water, air, and wildlife. We do this with basic and applied research programs on the Institute of Agriculture campus, in partnership with UT Knoxville and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and at ten AgResearch Centers across the state.

What is Happening in UT AgResearch?

Attendees at a Green Industry Field Day event
The 2025 Green Industry Field Day event is scheduled for June 12th beginning at 8:00 a.m. The event will start at the UT Gardens Friendship Pavilion on the UT Ag Campus.
Yang Zhao Profile Picture
Yang Zhao, associate professor of animal science, is the winner of the regional 2025 Agricultural Research Innovation Award of Excellence from agInnovation South.
Tim Rials Profile Picture
Tim Rials, associate dean of UT AgResearch, is the winner of the 2025 Susan E. Duncan Meritorious Service Award from agInnovation South.
Hongwei Xin Profile Picture
Hongwei Xin, dean of UT AgResearch, received the 2025 Excellence in Leadership Award from agInnovation South.
Participants viewing crops during an Annual Weed Tour event in Jackson.
Our annual Weed Tour Field Day event is scheduled for June 18th beginning at 8:30 a.m. (Central Time) on the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson.
Tobacco plants on the Highland Rim REC
The Tobacco, Beef and More Field Day will be held on the Highland Rim AgResearch and Education Center on June 26 beginning at 8:00 a.m. (Central Time)
Soil sample collecting from a reclaimed flooded field in Washington County, Tennessee
Join us at 8:30 a.m. for an in-person field day reporting on UTIA’s Flood Recovery Initiative on August 20, 2025 in Washington County, at the Runion Farm, 269 Bent Road, in Limestone, Tennessee.
Left side view of new John Deere 1745 No-Till Planter
UT AgResearch and Education Center at Milan Receives New No-Till Planter
Soybean plantings for research at the AgREC at Milan, TN
Faculty awarded $900,000 from Tennessee Soybean Promotion Board.
Robert Burns photo
Robert Burns Appointed to USDA Agricultural Air Quality Task Force
Vince Pantalone with UT leadership and other awardees at the 2025 Chancellor's Innovation Fund Award Ceremony.
Vince Pantalone receives $50,000 Chancellor’s Innovation Fund Award to support his research on the commercialization of robust soybean varieties.
A horse being displayed to guests in Brehm Arena on the UT Institute of Agriculture Campus.
Three Horse Management Field Days were held in February
Blueberries
The 2025 Field Day schedule featuring events hosted statewide across UT AgResearch’s Research and Education Centers is now available!
Cover view of the 2024 Annual Report for UT AgResearch
Our 2024 Annual Report for UT AgResearch is Available Online
Cover photo for Real. Life. Solutions. for You video
Real. Life. Solutions. for You
FRREC Holiday decorations on entrance sign.
The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center and UT AgResearch Leadership celebrate the Elmore Section of the UT Arboretum’s Holly Collection with a dedication event and Christmas lighting (Video)
Attendees at 2024 TN Beef Heifer Field Day in Lewisburg, TN
The 2024 Tennessee Beef Heifer Development Program Field Day was held on the Lewisburg unit of the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center on October 18th, 2024.
Cows near fence in pasture on the NE TN Research Center
The Northeast Tennessee Beef Expo was hosted October 17th, 2024 by the Northeast Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Greeneville.
Participants indoors at a Fall in the Gardens meeting
The UT Gardens – Jackson held their Fall in the Gardens on October 3rd and 4th at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.
2024 Butterfly Festival logo
The UT Arboretum Society and UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center held the 9th Annual Butterfly Festival on September 28th, 2024 at the UT Arboretum in Oak Ridge.
Staff working with cows on the Middle TN AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill, TN
The Precision Livestock Technologies Beef & Forage Systems Field Day took place on September 24, 2024 on the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill.
2023 Display at Fall Gardeners Festival
The 2024 Fall Gardeners’ Festival was held on our Plateau AgResearch and Education Center on August 27th.
Presenter inside pavilion at 2024 Steak and Potatoes Field Day
Plateau AgResearch and Education Center hosts successful Steak and Potatoes Field Day
Randy Boyd presents at the 2022 Milan No-Till Field Day
The 2024 Milan No-Till Field Day was held July 25th on our AgResearch and Education Center at Milan.
Participants at a Weed Tour examining research plots.
The 2024 Weed Tour was held June 20th at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson.
Demonstration during a Green Industry Field Day event
The 2024 Green Industry Field Day was held June 27 at UT Gardens and Brehm Animal Science Building.
Staff examining crop plantings.
American Rescue Plan Funding helps Upgrade Research Equipment and Facilities at West TN AgResearch and Education Center in Jackson
New SmartFeeder equipment in use on Middle TN AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill.
American Rescue Plan Funding helps Upgrade Precision Livestock Research Technology at Middle TN AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill
UT Broiler Facility Simulation
Video preview of new Broiler/Poultry Facility UT AgResearch will open soon at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill
Participants at a Fruits of the Backyard Field Day event
The 2024 Fruits of the Backyard Field Day event was held June 11, 2024 on the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill
Participants breaking ground on new Poultry research facility.
UT Institute of Agriculture Invests in Premier Poultry Research Facility
Kevin Hoyt delivering a presentation
UT Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center and Cumberland Forest Co-Host Tennessee Healthy Hardwoods Field Day
UTIA and UTK leadership with FIFA representatives
FIFA representatives on campus for a FIFA Pitch Research Field Day event on April 10, 2024. Photo by Steven Bridges/University of Tennessee.
Matt Backus staff photo at Ames AgREC
New Director Appointed to Ames AgResearch and Education Center
Intern students working in field at West TN AgREC
Summer Internships Offered at West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center
Congressman David Kustoff and staff visiting with staff at Milan AgREC
Congressman David Kustoff and his staff visit with staff at the Milan AgResearch and Education Center.
Bird dog participating in the National Bird Dog Trials at Ames
National Bird Dog Trials recently held at Ames AgResearch and Education Center
Group photo of conference participants
2024 Food-Energy-Water Bioeconomies for Net-Zero Transition International Conference Recently Held in Knoxville, TN
Joint TSU-UTIA Research Summit 2024 Attendees
The TSU/UTIA Joint Research Summit 2.0 was held at TSU on Friday, March 1st, 2024, focusing on plant biotechnology.
John Sorochan and Kyley Dickson receive Chancellor's Innovations Fund Award
John Sorochan and Kyley Dickson receive Chancellor’s Innovations Fund Award for revolutionizing athletic field assessment with a portable fLEX performance tester.
UT-ORII Selects Two New $20M UT-ORNL Convergent Research Initiatives
Planter at ETREC
American Rescue Plan Funding Helps Upgrade Research Equipment and Facilities
Blake Brown receiving Distinguished Service Award
Blake Brown, Center Director for the UT AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, recently received the Distinguished Service Award from the Research Center Administrators Society in Atlanta, Georgia.
Administrative sign for the Cumberland Forest Unit of the Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center
The Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center and the Cumberland Forest use federal American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds to support technology that improves forest research and management.
Arial view of NE TN AgResearch and Education Center
Northeast Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center uses American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds for cattle and crop research.
Climate-Smart Agriculture featured on Milan Center.
UT AgResearch announces the 2024 Field Day schedule featuring events hosted at locations across Tennessee.
Blake Brown - Milan AgResearch and Education Center
UT AgResearch and Education Center at Milan receives American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds
ETREC Free Dairy Tours image with cows feeding in background
East TN AgResearch and Education Center to host walking tours of the Little River Dairy starting in 2024
Scott Lenaghan, Neal Stewart, and Jennifer DeBruyn
UTIA Researchers Receive $12 Million DARPA Contract to Bioengineer Plants to Reduce Soil Contamination
2023 AgResearch Annual Report Cover Image
UT AgResearch Releases 2023 Annual Report
Cotton harvester at work in Milan, TN
UT AgResearch has record year for grants in 2023
UT AgResearch Dean, Dr. Hongwei Xin
Winter 2023 UT AgResearch IMPACTS eNewsletter
Entrance gate to the Little River Dairy Unit - Home of the 2023 Fall in the Foothills Field Day event
Our 2023 Fall in the Foothills Field Day was held on the Little River Unit of the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center on Saturday, October 21, 2023 in Walland, TN
Save the Date - Middle TN AgResearch and Education Center's Tennessee Beef Heifer Development Program Field Day
The Tennessee Beef Heifer Development Program Field Day took place at the Middle TN AgResearch and Education Center in Lewisburg on Friday, October 20, 2023
AgResearch Impacts Header Image
Fall 2023 UT AgResearch IMPACTS eNewsletter
Center Directors hosting the national Research Center Admin society meeting.
UTIA Hosts National Meeting of the Research Center Administrators Society
Save the date card for the 2023 Woods and Wildlife Field Day on the Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center in Oak Ridge, TN
The 2023 Woods and Wildlife Field Day was held on the Oak Ridge Forest Unit of the Forest Resources AgResearch and Education Center on Thursday, October 19, 2023 in Oak Ridge, TN
Cattle walking toward the camera in a field on the Northeast Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center
The annual Northeast Tennessee Beef Expo was held Thursday, October 12, 2023 on the Northeast Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Greeneville, TN
Morgan Hall
The Faculty Innovation Council would like to introduce the new 2023 UTIA AgResearch faculty!
Dr. Scott Schlarbaum receiving Award
Congratulations to Dr. Scott Schlarbaum for receiving the 2023 TFA Forest Resources Award. A well-deserved honor for Scott’s impactful TN Tree Improvement Program and many others.
UTIA Professors Forbes Walker and Shawn Hawkins accepting the Governor's Award for Environmental Stewardship.
UTIA Professors Forbes Walker and Shawn Hawkins received the 2023 Governor’s Environmental Stewardship Award for Environmental Education and Outreach.
UTIA-TSU Group Photo at the Research Summit
UTIA and TSU hold successful inaugural Joint Research Summit
AgResearch display booth at the Circular BioEconomy systems Day event at the 2023 Annual ASABE Conference
UTIA and AgResearch were well-represented at the recent Circular Bioeconomy Systems (CBS) Day event held at the 2023 Annual ASABE Conference in Omaha, Nebraska.
2022 AgResearch Annual Report Cover Image
UT AgResearch Releases 2022 Annual Report
Planter at West TN Research Center
Modernization in Progress
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Modernization in Progress
Cover view of the 2024 Annual Report for UT AgResearch
Reports and Newsletters
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Reports and Newsletters
Graphic from Strategic Action Plan Report - Balance, Cultivate, Advance and Ensure R&D
Strategic Action Plan
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Strategic Action Plan
Our Research
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Our Research
AgResearch Centers
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AgResearch Centers
Research Consortia
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Research Consortia
Combine in use at HRREC
UT AgResearch applies $50 million in funding from the American Rescue Plan to modernize equipment and facilities at research centers across Tennessee.
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UPCOMING EVENTS
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AgResearch Faculty and Staff Were Among Others Honored at the 2024 UTIA Awards and Promotions Ceremony
Read More Here
Vince Pantalone among those honored at 2024 UTIA Awards Ceremony
Our recent partnership serves as a clearinghouse for transformational discoveries that aim to improve animal, human, plant, and environment health.
UT One Health Initiative

Learn More about Our Leadership

UT AgResearch Leadership

Faculty and Staff Resources
Herbert, Extension, and AgResearch Faculty Bylaws

UT AgResearch Logo