Agriculture FertilizerAgriculture Fertilizer
  • Home
  • News
  • Management
  • Business
  • Insights
  • Crops & Livestock
  • Machinery
  • Technology
  • Weather
  • Trending
  • More
    • Web Stories
    • Press Release

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest agriculture news and updates directly to your inbox.

What's On

Senate Prepares to Vote on Budget Bill With Farm Safety Net Improvements

July 1, 2025

How This Student Ag Entrepreneur Balances His Business and Academics

July 1, 2025

Walking Down Memory Lane With Taylor’s Fireworks

June 30, 2025
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
Agriculture FertilizerAgriculture Fertilizer
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • News
  • Management
  • Business
  • Insights
  • Crops & Livestock
  • Machinery
  • Technology
  • Weather
  • Trending
  • More
    • Web Stories
    • Press Release
Agriculture FertilizerAgriculture Fertilizer
Home » UT System Loses $37.7M in Federal Grants; Institute of Agriculture Is Hardest Hit

UT System Loses $37.7M in Federal Grants; Institute of Agriculture Is Hardest Hit

May 12, 20253 Mins Read News
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest WhatsApp Email

By Cassandra Stephenson

President Donald Trump’s administration has pulled the plug on roughly $37.7 million in federal funding across 42 grants for the University of Tennessee System.

The majority of the loss — $31.2 million — comes from eight terminated grants at the UT Institute of Agriculture. The institute houses the university’s agriculture research arm as well as its statewide educational organization providing resources to Tennessee farmers and communities in all 95 counties. It also houses the UT College of Veterinary Medicine and the Herbert College of Agriculture.

The UT school system was set to receive more than $59 million across 58 awards from multiple federal departments and agencies, according to records reviewed by Tennessee Lookout. The grant terminations apply to $51.4 million of that total, $37.7 million of which has not yet been spent.

UT’s Knoxville campus saw 25 awards terminated, representing a loss of a combined $2.1 million in funding. Other campuses impacted include:

  • UT Health Science Center: 4 terminated programs ($2.6 million)
  • UT Chattanooga: 4 terminated programs ($1.4 million)
  • UT Institute for Public Service: 1 terminated program ($419,107)

“The most immediate impact has been the need to transition students and staff supported by these affected projects to alternative funding sources,” spokesperson Melissa Tindell wrote in an email to Tennessee Lookout Friday. “Essential work such as reporting, compliance and other research operations continue with adjusted support.”

A total of 23 stop work orders have been rescinded system-wide, Tindell wrote. Nine partial stop work orders are in effect, “meaning that portions of the projects cannot be completed, though the total award amount hasn’t been impacted at this time.”

Ten grants remain active, and six are “pending.” 

Campuses with active grants include:

  • UT Knoxville: 4 active awards ($1.5 million)
  • UT Chattanooga: 2 active awards ($237,650)
  • UT Institute of Agriculture: 4 active awards ($1.5 million)

Awards pending further review include:

  • UT Knoxville: 3 awards ($1.2 million)
  • UT Health Science Center: 1 award ($82,000)
  • UT Martin: 1 award ($62,245)
  • UT Institute of Agriculture: 1 award (value unknown)

Of the several federal agencies that terminated funding to UT grants, the USDA reclaimed by far the most funds at $26.9 million.

Federal records show one of the grants affected was a $30 million project funded by the USDA aiming to expand markets for climate-smart beef, dairy, and small grazing animals across multiple states. The University of Tennessee sub-awarded $10.24 million to other universities for their roles in research meant to “support farmers’ and ranchers’ implementation and monitoring of climate-smart practices,” according to the grant summary on usaspending.gov.

Records maintained by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) indicate $30 million in “savings” from terminating the grant, but other federal records show $2.1 million already outlaid since the project started in September 2023. It’s not clear if the money spent was part of the project’s additional $6.2 million in non-federal funding. The project was supposed to conclude in September 2028.

The university’s Agricultural Leaders of Tomorrow (ALOFT) program, which sent volunteers to Southeast Asia to support agriculture education in developing countries, is another spending cut casualty. 

The program was awarded five years of funding under the U.S. Agency for International Development in 2023, but was put under a stop work order in February. The university’s webpage explaining the program now — now written in the past tense — shows its achievements from 2023 through 2025. University records show one terminated USAID program worth around $4.1 million.

Tennessee Lookout is an affiliate of States Newsroom, the nation’s largest state-focused nonprofit news organization, supported by grants and donations.

Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email

Related Posts

Senate Prepares to Vote on Budget Bill With Farm Safety Net Improvements

July 1, 2025 News

How This Student Ag Entrepreneur Balances His Business and Academics

July 1, 2025 News

Walking Down Memory Lane With Taylor’s Fireworks

June 30, 2025 News

New wheat varieties may reduce the need for bread additive

June 30, 2025 News

Tar Spot Infects Corn Crops in 5 Indiana Counties

June 30, 2025 News

Markets in Minutes: Top Third looks ahead for week of June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025 News

Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

Don't Miss
News

How This Student Ag Entrepreneur Balances His Business and Academics

By staffJuly 1, 20250

In junior high, Tyler Worthey discovered “Hot Ones,” a YouTube show where guests are challenged…

Walking Down Memory Lane With Taylor’s Fireworks

June 30, 2025

New wheat varieties may reduce the need for bread additive

June 30, 2025

Tar Spot Infects Corn Crops in 5 Indiana Counties

June 30, 2025

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest agriculture news and updates directly to your inbox.

Our Picks

Markets in Minutes: Top Third looks ahead for week of June 30, 2025

June 30, 2025

U.S. Corn Hits Season-High Rating for Good/Excellent Condition

June 30, 2025

Agriculture is key to resilient food systems, says alltech

June 30, 2025

USDA Updates 2025 Acreage Estimates in Latest Report

June 30, 2025
Agriculture Fertilizer
Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram Pinterest
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
© 2025 All rights reserved. Agriculture Fertilizer.

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.