Agriculture commissioner outlines budget priorities: wildfire resilience, lab work, ARPA-funded programs
February 18, 2026 | 2026 Legislature TN, Tennessee
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Andy Holt, commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Agriculture, briefed the Senate Energy, Agriculture and Natural Resources Committee on the department’s FY26–27 budget priorities and recovery programs, focusing on wildfire response, capital projects and ARPA-funded initiatives.
Holt requested several targeted cost increases, including $1.3 million for a wildfire resiliency team, $500,000 to support the Cultivate (agriculture outreach) partnership and funds for seedling-cooler replacement at the Pinson facility. Holt said the department is seeking $6 million for design work on the Porter and Ivy laboratory replacement and encouraged future funding for construction.
On American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending, Holt said roughly $21.1 million of a $50 million allocation has been expended and that the department opened a fourth funding round to use surplus program dollars. He pointed to specific ARPA-supported efforts: about $4.1 million of $7.2 million allocated to a farm-to-food-bank program (which purchased roughly 1,500,000 pounds of local food and provided about 1,200,000 meals), and partnerships with the University of Tennessee on AgResearch and a meat-industry workforce training facility.
Holt also described the new farmland preservation program: rules recently finalized and an expected program launch in late summer with $25 million available. Regarding Hurricane Helene, Holt said USDA has pledged $38 million in assistance, offering reimbursements of up to 90% of verified losses (capped at $2.5 million per applicant) to affected producers in eight counties.
During Q&A, Senator Campbell and others pressed Holt on ARPA spending timelines and whether carryforward balances risked leaving money unspent. Samantha Wilson of the department explained that $29.6 million appears as a carryforward in the Ag Enterprise Fund because many awards are multi-year commitments under two-year contract windows; those allocations are largely committed and not freely reassignable. Holt and Wilson said the department expects to utilize available funds and has pursued additional rounds to obligate dollars before federal deadlines.
The committee thanked the department for the presentation and proceeded to the next agenda items.
Holt requested several targeted cost increases, including $1.3 million for a wildfire resiliency team, $500,000 to support the Cultivate (agriculture outreach) partnership and funds for seedling-cooler replacement at the Pinson facility. Holt said the department is seeking $6 million for design work on the Porter and Ivy laboratory replacement and encouraged future funding for construction.
On American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) spending, Holt said roughly $21.1 million of a $50 million allocation has been expended and that the department opened a fourth funding round to use surplus program dollars. He pointed to specific ARPA-supported efforts: about $4.1 million of $7.2 million allocated to a farm-to-food-bank program (which purchased roughly 1,500,000 pounds of local food and provided about 1,200,000 meals), and partnerships with the University of Tennessee on AgResearch and a meat-industry workforce training facility.
Holt also described the new farmland preservation program: rules recently finalized and an expected program launch in late summer with $25 million available. Regarding Hurricane Helene, Holt said USDA has pledged $38 million in assistance, offering reimbursements of up to 90% of verified losses (capped at $2.5 million per applicant) to affected producers in eight counties.
During Q&A, Senator Campbell and others pressed Holt on ARPA spending timelines and whether carryforward balances risked leaving money unspent. Samantha Wilson of the department explained that $29.6 million appears as a carryforward in the Ag Enterprise Fund because many awards are multi-year commitments under two-year contract windows; those allocations are largely committed and not freely reassignable. Holt and Wilson said the department expects to utilize available funds and has pursued additional rounds to obligate dollars before federal deadlines.
The committee thanked the department for the presentation and proceeded to the next agenda items.
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