Ty Wolaver to Serve in Northeastern Region of the State
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Ty Wolaver is the newest area farm management specialist to join University of Tennessee Extension’s MANAGE program, where he will serve farm families in the Northeastern region of the state.
Tennessee’s MANAGE program is recognized as among the strongest and most effective in the nation, with more than 19,000 farm families participating in the program. The program is offered at no cost to participating families in all 95 Tennessee counties. Participants can benefit from confidential evaluations of their current financial situations and receive help evaluating alternatives for the future.
“The MANAGE program has helped thousands of Tennessee farm families make better-informed financial decisions, and I’m excited to be a part of it,” said Wolaver. “I have a passion for agriculture, and I look forward to serving our Tennessee farm families.”
Wolaver is no stranger to the UT Institute of Agriculture, earning his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics. His undergraduate major was in food and agricultural business with a concentration in finance and risk management. For his master’s degree research, he studied the effect that differing inputs in broilers has on output and efficiency.
He was extremely active on campus, serving as an ambassador for the Herbert College of Agriculture for three years and reviving the Agricultural Business Club and serving as its president for two years. He was also accepted into the Farm Credit Scholars program for three years, a program designed to enrich scholars’ academics, strengthen their professional development and prepare them to become the next generation of leaders in Tennessee agriculture.
In addition to rigorous academics, he also gained valuable experience through an internship with Perdue Farms for two summers in Washington, Indiana. The internships provided Wolaver with opportunities to work with the company’s turkey operations and breeding farm, and he went on to serve as a flock advisor.
Originally from Lincoln County, Tennessee, he grew up on a small farm where they raised poultry and beef cattle and enjoyed barrel racing. He was active in 4-H and Future Farmers of America and participated in multiple competitions ranging from poultry judging to public speaking. He also participated in the Tennessee Governor’s School for the Agricultural Sciences in 2013.
Farm families from the following counties can reach Wolaver by contacting their local UT Extension office: Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Cocke, Grainger, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Sevier, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union and Washington.
Through its land-grant mission of research, teaching and extension, the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. utia.tennessee.edu.