Feature

Congratulations to the 2024 Graduates of the Tennessee Master Nursery Producer Program and Advanced Tennessee Master Nursery Producer Program

By Amy Fulcher, Extension Specialist and Professor for Sustainable Ornamental Plant Production and Landscape Management and Whitney Yeary, Extension Assistant

The Tennessee Master Nursery Producer (TMNP) program and Advanced TMNP program are professional development programs for nursery crop producers led by the University of Tennessee with support from TSU and the USDA. TMNP was the first program of its kind in the nation and was designed to provide Tennessee nursery producers with up-to-date, science-based information with the goal of enhancing nursery profitability and environmental, economic, and community sustainability. Growers from across the state can access the latest information on production, irrigation, fertilization, pruning, propagation, pest management, economics, and marketing. Those in the Advanced TMNP program experience a core and elective module structure which enables them to complete the program by selecting modules with greater relevance to their business. The ATMNP program offers topics such as advanced irrigation and water management, advanced pesticide application concepts, hydrangea production, and succession planning for the farm family.

Growers who take the TMNP and Advanced TMNP learn! There is on average a 57% increase for TMNP and 44% increase for the Advanced TMNP between pre-test and post-test scores!

Growers who take the TMNP acquire knowledge and skills that they convert into economic value! Graduates estimated realizing $11,269 in reduced costs and increased inventory value as a result of changes they anticipate making from knowledge they acquired through the TMNP or Advanced TMNP program, and estimate enjoying a reoccurring annual savings of 10% from refined use of inputs such as fertilizer and pesticides.

For more information, please visit the TMNP website: www.tnmasternursery.com

If you have questions about the Tennessee Master Nursery Producer Program, please contact Dr. Amy Fulcher afulcher@utk.edu, 865-974-7152. For questions about the TAEP, please contact producer.diversification@tn.gov, 615-837-5324.

Participating in the TMNP and Advanced TMNP can also help the nursery industry as a whole. Recent comments from graduates on the state of the workforce, as well as your participation in stakeholder listening sessions, led to the LEAP (Labor, Efficiency, Automation, and Production Nursery) Team receiving a USDA NIFA SCRI grant to address labor challenges.

Several nursery automation resources are already in print including UT Extension publications “The Role of Automation in Addressing the Nursery Industry Labor Shortage: Advances in Automation within Task” W1235 and “Using Smart Apply Variable-Rate Technology to Improve Air-Assisted Air-blast Sprayer Pesticide Application Efficiency in Nurseries and Orchard Crops” W1280.

Congratulations to the 2024 Original and Advanced Tennessee Master Nursery Producer Program graduates!

Advanced Tennessee Master Nursery Producer Program Graduates

Daniel Gibbons, Pope’s Plant Farm

Danny Hildreth, Hildreth Brothers Nursery

Marsha Scott, Hidden Valley Nursery

Beverly Ann Sisk, After Hours Nursery

Tennessee Master Nursery Producer Program Graduates

Ellen Casey, Personal Development

Katie Connaster, Wild Earth Gardens

Donald Durley, The Pointer Patch

Kayla Dyer, Breezy Sunset Farm

Daniel Gibbons, Pope’s Plant Farm

Justin Higdon, Hazy Daze Farms

Carl Keel, Keel Nursery

Sam Laws, Laws Farms

Moses Martin, Martin Country Greenhouse

Tiffany Wade, Wadey Bunch Farms

Melissa Wells, Wells 1918 Homestead

Jordan Underhill, Four Way Nursery