The April 2024 Land-Grant Ledger

The Land-Grant Ledger

Tennessee State University College of Agriculture

Dean’s Message:

Dear friends and supporters,

Greetings from the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture! We’ve had a big month at the College, as we are wrapping up the spring semester with final exams and year-end events. It’s hard to believe that we have already arrived at the end of the semester but alas, time flies when you’re having fun!

Earlier this month we hosted one of the seminal events for each of the 19 1890 land-grant HBCUs, the Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium, the largest and best-attended event in its nearly 50-year history. I couldn’t be prouder of everyone who contributed to our success in hosting the symposium.

We were thrilled to have our Advisory Board members join us on campus this month for our biannual board meeting. With lively discussions, great interactions between our students and faculty members with our Board members, a tour of our facilities, lunches, and a productive meeting, everyone seemed to get a lot out of the meeting.

In other news, our incredible TSUAg MANRRS chapter did a great job at this year’s MANRRS 38th Annual Training Conference and Career Expo, as the group won third place this year nationally for MANRRS Chapter of the Year. We are so proud of the role our excellent chapter plays in student life here at the College.

Springtime means a slew of new Extension programs are kicking off throughout the State and our Extension and 4-H agents continue the hard work in their communities to educate, guide, and provide leadership on all things agriculture.

Enjoy this issue of the Land-Grant Ledger! We’ll see you next month!

Sincerely,

Dean Chandra Reddy

Inside this Issue:

Dean’s Message

The Cicadas are Coming!

Shelby County Extension Update

Johnson County Extension Update

Rhea County Extension Update

Hamilton County Extension Update

Knox County Extension Update

TSUAg Hosts ARD Research Symposium

Ag Day on the Hill

2024 Advisory Board Meeting

Food Waste Summit

MANRRS Job Fair and Conference

2024 ARD Research Symposium (page 4)

The Cicadas are Coming!

With the Great Southern Brood, or Brood XIX of 13-year cicada nymphs on the verge of emerging from their underground burrows in the coming weeks, TSUAg entomologists recently released a new study on cicada broods affecting middle Tennessee. Every year, several species of annual cicadas can be found in Tennessee, like the familiar dog-day cicada that produces the loud screeching chorus calls in the late summer. In addition to annual species, there are also periodic cicadas including three distinct species of 17-year cicadas and four species of 13-year cicadas. Some years, these periodical cicadas’ populations emerge simultaneously in great numbers called broods. The Great Southern Brood is one of 15 periodical broods in North America. To review the research yourself, scan this QR code.

Graduation Month at Shelby County Extension

Last month was graduation month at the Shelby County Extension office as TSU Extension Agent Jasmen Richmond had the opportunity to graduate several of her ongoing groups as their programs came to a close. Richmond graduated her SRVS group, Latham Terrace group, Heal 901 group, virtual nutrition month group, and a youth spring break group with the Raleigh Branch Library in Memphis last month. On the latter group, Richmond held a three-day class where kids learned some beginner culinary skills like food safety and basic cooking terminology, had a chance to practice their literacy skills by reading each recipe, and even applied their mathematics prowess by using measurements in the recipes.

A group of second through fifth-grade students took part in alternative spring break youth groups hosted by TSU Extension Agent Jasmen Richmond and the Memphisbased Raleigh Library last month.

Johnson County 4-H Chili Teams Delight at Cook-off

Johnson County 4-H hosted their annual 4-H Chili Cook-off last month and it was a hit. Thirteen teams comprised of twenty-six youth competed as individuals or teams with their favorite homestyle, unique, or spicy chili recipes. Throughout the event, youth served their chili to the audience and competed for the People’s Choice award, which is determined by audience vote while a judging panel selected the top chili in each category. The event also serves as a fundraiser for the local 4-H program, with donations going to support more opportunities for local youth. “Extension has always been about serving families in local communities,” said County Extension Director Sarah Arnold. “The chili cook-off provides opportunities for youth to learn new skills, engage with friends and family, and bring the community together.”

Rhea County 4-H Shooting Sports BB Team Wins at State BB Jamboree

The Rhea County 4-H Shooting Sports BB team has earned a spot to shoot at the Daisy National BB Competition held in Rogers, Arkansas at the end of June after three teams within the team p laced in the top 10 overall in the state, finishing in first, six th, and eighth overall at the State BB Jamboree held on March 23 in Murfreesboro. The Rhea County BB team practiced hard in the months leading up to the Jamboree, training in the competition’s four shooting positions: prone, standing, sitting and kneeling. The winning team placed first overall with a total score of 2302.1, team two placed sixth overall with a total score of 2152.9, and team three placed eighth with a total score of 2000.3. 4-H’er Anna O’Keefe won the award for best overall shooter for the day with a score of 489.3. As part of their membership on the BB team, 4-H participants learn firearm safety, marksmanship skills, and other soft skills such as time management, decision-making, and teamwork.

The Johnson County 4-H chili team the Spicy Sisters (Savanna Younce, Nyiah Reece and Allie Mullins) took home the prize for spiciest chili at the County Extension Office’s annual 4-H Chili Cook-off.

The Rhea County Extension Office’s 4-H 1st place BB Team is made up of (from left to right) Jackson Wente, Alyssa Jouben, Anna O’Keefe, and Sky Dixon. Not pictured: Anderson Cathey, Jeremiah Carpenter, and Myca Butler

Hamilton County 4-H Gear Grinders Compete at MTSU

The Hamilton County 4-H Gear Grinders robotics team competed at the 2024 Tennessee FIRST Tech Challenge competition on March 2 at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). The Gear Grinders were chosen for the finalist alliance and competed in the final match of the competition, finishing in 9th place. The team won second place in the Design Award competition for their robot’s innovative claw design. Team member and lead programmer John Wood was chosen as one of two state finalists from Tennessee for the FIRST Dean’s Award, given to outstanding student leaders. He won a scholarship to study engineering at MTSU and will attend the National Dean’s List Award ceremony in Houston, Texas in April.

Knox County 4-H Kicks Off “Up from Seed” Project

Early last month, the Knox County Extension 4-H held an orientation meeting for their new “Up from Seed” program, a new plant science program designed based on local needs, and with a total of 41 youth who signed up for the program, it was officially a hit with the Knox County 4-H community. Attendees received a brief overview of 4-H, learned the basics of plant care, and picked up their growing supplies for the project to grow some plants that they could either sell at a plant sale or submit to the Tennessee Valley Fair.

4-H Gear Grinders team member John Wood, 11th grade, was chosen as a FIRST Dean’s List Finalist for Tennessee at the state FIRST Tech Challenge robotics championship March 2 at MTSU.

TSUAg Hosts Largest ARD Research Symposium Ever

The Tennessee State University College of Agriculture served as the host university for the 21st Association of 1890 Research Directors Biennial Research Symposium, held April 6 – 9 at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center in Nashville. The theme of this year’s symposium was “Climate, Health and Cultivating the Next Generation of Agricultural Leaders: Creating Solutions in Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources,” and as such, this year’s event put the focus on students.

More than 1,500 faculty researchers, college administrators, staffers, and students from each of the 19 1890 landgrant HBCUs attended this year’s symposium, the premier event bringing together agriculture-focused researchers from across the 1890 land-grant university system. In addition to showcasing the talents and achievements of the 1890 community, this year’s symposium offered attendees the opportunity to interact, share knowledge, and build networks for expanded research collaborations.

TSUAg Heads to the Capitol for Ag Day on the Hill

A contingent of students, faculty members, and TSU College of Agriculture administrators made the quick trip over to the State Capitol last month for Ag Day on the Hill, an annual celebration of all things Tennessee agriculture. Held in conjunction with National Ag Day, the event brought together stakeholders from across the state to meet lawmakers, network, and celebrate the state’s most important industry. TSUAg held down a pair of booths at the event, handing out TSU literature, networking, and even showing off some of the newest chicks being utilized in oncampus poultry research. Seeing Gov. Bill Lee toss a bale of hay, that was a bonus!

Junior Kennedy Bentley addressed a packed ballroom at the Gaylord Opryland Convention Center during the 21st biennial ARD Symposium, held April 6 – 9 here in Nashville.

Students, faculty members, and College administrators took the short trip over to the Tennessee State Capitol last month for Ag Day on the Hill.

2024 Advisory Board Meeting a Success

TSUAg played host to the members of its Advisory Board earlier this month for the spring 2024 Advisory Board meeting. This semester’s meeting was, in part, dedicated to interactions between the Board and current TSUAg students, and as such, much of the two-day meeting was dedicated to student and Board member interaction. There were panel discussions, presentations, luncheons with students, a fun tour of TSUAg facilities, and of course the meeting itself, in which the Board outlined some new goals, metrics, and plans set for implementation. A huge thank you goes out to all of our dedicated Board members. Thanks y’all!

Food Waste Summit Brings Food Leaders to TSUAg

Important food sustainability discussions are being held here on the Tennessee State University College of Agriculture campus, as evidenced by the “No Food Left Behind” food waste prevention summit TSUAg hosted on April 1 at the College’s Agricultural Information Technology Center. The event brought together leaders from Nashville’s Metro government, food waste and sustainability non-profits, for-profit companies, and of course university faculty researchers who collectively took a deep dive into the urgency of food sustainability at the event. The “No Food Left Behind” summit opened up critical dialogues on the issue of food waste, and sought to address real-world food waste issues with a multi-faceted approach. In addition to conducting important discussions on the topic, attendees sampled delectable dishes, brainstormed waste-cut remedies, and had a lot of fun. The Nashville Food Project, The Compost Co., Metro Nashville, and Sheeco Events were just a few of the event’s many participants.

The members of the TSUAg Advisory Board dropped by campus this April 11-12 for a student-themed two-day meeting that saw Board members spend some time with current undergraduate and graduate students like Steven Kennedy, who showed members his work with basil.

TSUAg served as the host for an important discussion and gathering on food security last month when it held the “No Food Left Behind” summit here on campus.

TSU MANRRS Chapter Shows Out at National Conference

TSU’s Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences (MANRRS) chapter had an impressive showing at the national MANRRS organization’s 38th-annual “Aspire to Inspire” Training Conference & Career Expo, held from March 20 - 24 at the Chicago Marriott. TSUAg’s MANRRS chapter took home 3rd place in the National Chapter of the Year competition.

Individual TSUAg MANRRS members also showcased their talent and dedication at this year’s conference, bringing home awards and scholarships from their performance at the conference as well as throughout the year. A handful of TSUAg students won awards at this year’s event and a further six students secured scholarships, including the Farm Credit VIP scholarship and MANRRS Gold scholarship. One student even shared the stage for a panel discussion with Chavonda Jacobs-Young, Under Secretary of Research, Education, and Economics and USDA Chief Scientist. Great job all!

MANRRS 38 Award Winners:

3rd Place in National Chapter of the Year Competition

2023-24 National OfficersKaylin Hughes and Emmanuel Wallace

2024-2025 National OfficerBlake Wright

Foster Spirit of Excellence Award - Emmanuel Wallace

3rd Place in Graduate Oral Presentation - CheKenna Fletcher

2nd Place in Public Speaking - Dacia Ringo

1st Place in Essay Writing - Dominique Smith

1st Place in Photography - Jhanya Chenault

TSUAg’s chapter of MANRRS had a tremendous time at this year’s national conference, winning numerous awards, networking, earning scholarships, and generally making their presence felt at the organization’s 38th annual conference.

Editor/Writer: Charles Morrison

Graphic Designer: Christina Jacob

Phone/Fax: 615-963-7561

Website: www.tnstate.edu/ agriculture

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