To Be Eligible, applicant must:
Be a citizen of the United States of America or lawfully present in the United States.
Be a Tennessee resident operating a farm located in Tennessee.
Be at least 18 years old during the application period.
Meet at least one of the minimum livestock or acreage requirements for the program selected. Verification of minimum requirements may be requested prior to approval.
Head of Livestock = maximum number of single type, regardless of sex or age, during the last 12 months at time of application. Eligible livestock include cattle, goats/sheep, equids (horses, mules, and/or donkeys), and swine. Equids must be part of a commercial equine business (breeding, training, and/or boarding) to qualify. Goats/sheep can be combined to meet minimum head requirements.
Hay Acreage = acres of hay in production (first cutting only). A minimum of 50 acres is required. Acreage can be owned or leased in Tennessee. Applicant may be required to list the location of acres at time of reimbursement.
Row Crop Acreage = acres of row crop production of corn, cotton, soybeans, and/or wheat. A minimum of 100 acres is required. Acreage can be owned or leased in Tennessee. Applicant may be required to list the location of acres at time of reimbursement.
Poultry = number of birds per year. Poultry must be part of a commercial operation to qualify.
Swine = a minimum of 100 head of swine is required. The commercial producer requirement has been removed for 2026–2027.
Have filed a Federal IRS Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Farming, within the last two years (2024 or 2025), unless the applicant began their operation in 2026. Applicant may be asked to submit a copy of their Schedule F prior to TAEP approval to verify their farming operation.
Have a current eligible educational requirement at the time of reimbursement, not at the time of application, to be considered for cost share reimbursement. Eligible master certifications are determined by program. Certificates must be issued in 2023 or after and must be in the name of the approved applicant.
Application A programs: Eligible master certifications may include Master Beef, Master Small Ruminant, Master Dairy, Master Farm Manager, Master Farm Family Health & Wellness, Master Forage Program, Master Horse Program, Master Row Crop, and Master Commercial Poultry, depending on the program.
Beginning Farmer Option: Approved applicants must complete UT Farming Fundamentals or TSU New Farmer Academy. Certificates issued in 2023 or after will be accepted.
Beginning Farmer Option
Applicants who do not meet the current minimum requirements for any TAEP Application A program may be eligible for the Beginning Farmer Option. This option provides reduced minimum requirements for Genetics, Livestock Equipment, and Livestock Fencing.
To qualify, the applicant must:
Be a first-time TAEP applicant.
Be actively involved in livestock production and have started their farming operation after January 1, 2016.
Have filed a Federal IRS Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Farming, within the last two years (2024 or 2025), unless the operation began in 2026.
Complete UT Farming Fundamentals or TSU New Farmer Academy if approved for the Beginning Farmer Option.
Meet at least one of the reduced livestock requirements:
5–29 head of cattle – Genetics, Livestock Equipment, Livestock Fencing
10–49 head of goats/sheep – Genetics, Livestock Equipment, Livestock Fencing
If an applicant meets the minimum requirements for any TAEP Application A program, they are not eligible for the Beginning Farmer Option but may apply for the program for which they are eligible.
TAEP allows applicants to participate in the Beginning Farmer Option for two consecutive years if they meet the Beginning Farmer Option requirements, except for the first-time TAEP applicant requirement in the second year.
Information sourced from the Tennessee Department of Agriculture.