Congressman Kustoff Secures $745,000 For the University of Tennessee at Martin

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman David Kustoff (R-TN) recently helped secure a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Capacity Building Grant for Non-land-grant Colleges of Agriculture worth $745,000 for the University of Tennessee at Martin.

“I am pleased to have helped secure this important funding for the University of Tennessee at Martin,” said Congressman Kustoff. “Farmers are the backbone of West Tennessee’s economy and supporting non-land grant colleges of agriculture is one of my main priorities in Washington. It is important to ensure our next generation of farmers have the resources they need to succeed.”

“The research and outreach provided by this federal funding will positively affect the UT Martin campus, Weakley County Schools, and West Tennessee as well as the service area of our Innov8Africa partner for years. The quality of this project is confirmed by the fact that NIFA requested an increase in scope of the project with an additional $50,000 added to the original budget request,” said Dr. Yancy E. Freeman, Chancellor of the University of Tennessee at Martin.

Congressman Kustoff secured this funding by leading a letter to the House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies sent on March 24, 2023.

The Capacity Building Grants for Non-land-grant Colleges of Agriculture (NLGCA) Program assists NLGCA-certified institutions in maintaining and expanding their capacity to conduct education, research, outreach/extension, and integrated activities relating to agriculture, renewable resources, and similar disciplines.