The Extension & Research Support Staff Association

Tennessee has 95 counties: Click here to see all of them!

The state stretches 432 miles from North Carolina to Mississippi borders. In 2021, Tennessee had a population of 6.975 million. Each county has an Extension Office located in it as well three regional locations; those offices are in Knoxville, Nashville, and Jackson. The University of Tennessee is the Land Grant University, and the main campus is in Knoxville, TN.

Tennessee Agriculture Facts:

·         Total farms: 69,500

·         Average farm size: 154 acres

·         40% of the land in Tennessee is farmland.

·         Economic impact: $81 BILLION

·         342,000 people in Tennessee employed by agriculture and forestry.

·         Farmers markets: 129

·         Top commodities: soybeans, corn, cotton, hay, wheat, tobacco, cattle & calves, broiler chickens, fresh-market tomatoes and dairy products

·         Production value: $4,400,000,000

o    64% crops & 36% livestock

UT Extension:

UT Extension provides Real. Life. Solutions. throughout Tennessee. With an office in each of the state’s ninety-five counties, UT Extension helps Tennesseans to improve their quality of life and solve problems through the application of research and evidenced-based knowledge.

UT Extension provides a gateway to the University of Tennessee as the outreach unit of the Institute of Agriculture. It is a statewide educational organization, funded by federal, state and local governments, that brings research-based information about agriculture, family and consumer sciences, and resource development to the people of Tennessee where they live and work.

 UT Extension has four different disciplines:

•        Agriculture and Natural Resources
•        Family and Consumer Sciences
•        4-H Youth Development
•        Community Economic Development

Our Focus areas include:

•     4-H youth development
•     Agri-business economics and entrepreneurship
•     Commercial horticulture
•     Food
•     Health
•    Crop production systems
•    Environmental stewardship
•    Family
•    Livestock and forage systems
•    Money
•    Leadership development
•    Residential and commercial horticulture
•    Natural resources
•    Home

UT and TSU Extension work hand in hand daily to ensure the best opportunities for citizens in Tennessee. The Tennessee State University Cooperative Extension Program mission is to help educate and provide information to limited resource urban and rural individuals, families, small farmers, and other groups.

May 5th, 2022, Tennessee Extension Association of Administrative Professionals (TEAAP) was approved for non-profit status through the state of Tennessee. The organization started out with 14 administrative professionals across the state of Tennessee. However, it has now grown to over 120 administrative professionals from across the state. This organization has been formed to:

·         To be recognized by Tennessee Extension as professionals.

·         To provide a platform to inspire members to exceed performance expectations by maintaining standards of excellence.

·         To seek opportunities for professional development with the intent of advancing skills and knowledge in order to elevate the profession and individual career goals.

·         To encourage and promote mentorship, supporting fellow administrative professionals and providing an environment for success.

·         To provide opportunities for statewide administrative professionals to exchange relevant information in order to maintain a high quality of service.

·         To increase membership networking opportunities that will allow skill growth, an increase in morale, and resource sharing amongst members, which results in being Better Together.

We have created a logo, and it showcases three items, which represent our priority areas:  a tree, thumbs up, and people.   

The TREE signifies our members’ professional growth, training and working together (across the regions and campus branches).  

The THUMBS UP signifies encouragement as a philosophy, which we will show amongst our members. This will include recognition, events and awards.   

The PEOPLE signify mentoring, sharing, and camaraderie, with a continuous circle to signify the ongoing nature of these activities.  

Along with the logo, we also have a motto: Better Together.

We chose the sunflower as a symbol of our organization showing that we are able to grow.

Tennessee is known for…
Hot Chicken. The Nashville hot chicken is a must if you come to Tennessee. The chicken is put in a spicy marinade and deep-fried perfectly until it is golden and crispy.

Barbecue. Memphis is the place to get the best barbecue. Dry-rubbed, hickory smoked, tender ribs are served in Memphis that fall off the bone.

Moon Pies and Mountain Dew. Chattanooga Bakery started making Moon Pies in 1917, and Mountain Dew was created in Knoxville in the 1940s.

Being the Volunteer State. Tennessee is nicknamed “The Volunteer State” because of the large number of people who volunteered to fight in the War of 1812, the Mexican-American War, and the Civil War. The state has a long history of military service, and today, over 8% of the population living in Tennessee are veterans.

Caves. Tennessee is home to over 10,000 caves, making it one of the most cave-dense states in the country. Many of Tennessee’s caves are open to the public for tours and exploration. Some of the popular caves include the Cumberland Caverns and Craighead Caverns.

Country Music. Bristol, Tennessee is the birthplace of country music. Nashville is also a hub for country music. It houses the County Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Elvis Presley’s Graceland Mansion. The 13-acre mansion and grounds are one of the most popular tourist attractions in the state and for good reason. Graceland was Elvis’s home from 1957 until his death in 1977, and it has since been turned into a museum dedicated to his life and career. Here, you can tour the house and see where Elvis lived and learn about his incredible career.

The Great Smoky Mountains. The Great Smoky Mountains span Tennessee and North Carolina and hosts the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. are also over 800 miles of hiking trails in the park, as well as opportunities for camping, fishing, and picnicking.