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“UTIA grant and contract funding has increased from $7.7 million to $21.2 million since 1998. We have the greatest growth in grants and contracts in the UT community,” Britt said. “Our programs in agriculture and natural resources, veterinary medicine and family and consumer sciences have expanded because of our talented researchers and specialists.” However, the administrator noted that restrictions imposed by state funding limited the overall growth of the institute’s programs to 27 percent. Britt reported that for 2003 the institute’s total expenditures on programs, services and personnel will be $121 million. “That’s a sizeable investment. It brings rich rewards in services and support to Tennesseans in every county in the state,” he said. The UT Institute of Agriculture operates facilities in each of the state’s 95 counties through county Agricultural Extension Service offices. Services offered to citizens include research-based guidance for producers, agri-businesses, food processors and retailers. Extension also offers youth development services through local 4-H programs and a variety of family and consumer education programs. Eleven branch agricultural experiment stations operate across the state as research and teaching facilities for the institute’s agricultural, natural resources, and veterinary medicine programs. Britt also announced that funds have been approved for planning or construction of four new capital projects for the institute. The York Veterinary Hospital is enhancing services to equines, especially performance horses. Expanded services will include state-of-the-art exercise physiology and rehabilitation facilities. Construction will begin this fall on new greenhouses for the Knoxville campus and a headquarters for the Cumberland District Extension office. Funds to plan the relocation of the dairy from Alcoa Highway to a property in Blount County have also been approved, Britt said. The total cost of the capital projects is estimated to be approximately $11 million. Funding sources include revenues collected by the Veterinary Teaching Hospital, state appropriations, Federal matching funds and private donations. Britt, who has just completed his fifth year at UT as vice president for agriculture, also reported on challenges to be faced by the institute. For example, undergraduate enrollment in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources has declined despite its generous scholarship program, which is rated as tops among southern region land grant universities. More than $800,000 was available in scholarships in 2003. “We are working hard to inform high school students that good opportunities for scholarships exist in our programs, and once our students graduate, they are very competitive in the job market,” Britt said. More than one third of the students in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources receive scholarships, and scholarship awards average $2100. Coupled with the expected awards from the Tennessee State lottery, in-state agriculture and natural resource students could receive $5100 or more in scholarship assistance. The “State of the Institute” address is a campus tradition. It coincides with a meeting of the institute’s alumni council as well as other activities surrounding the annual Ag Day, a free event that highlights the institute’s programs and services. For more information about Ag Day call 865-974-8622 or visit the Web site: http://agalumni.tennessee.edu/. More information about the UT Institute of Agriculture is available online at http://agriculture.tennessee.edu/. # # # Contact: Patricia McDaniels, 865-974-7141 View the Vice President's powerpoint presentation online.
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