Meet our Team

The Business Development Consultants pursue new industries and expansion of existing agricultural and forestry businesses. They assist through industry development, marketing, technical and industry support, financial assistance, and ideas for innovation.

Debbie Ball

Expertise:  Pick TN Products
Phone:  615-924-1929
Email:  Debbie.Ball@tn.gov

Debbie joined the staff at the Department of Agriculture in 2008 as Statewide Outreach Coordinator for the Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program.  In her current role, Debbie manages the Pick Tennessee Products Program, providing assistance to new and existing businesses as well as oversees the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program. 

Before joining the staff at the department, Debbie held both marketing and advertising positions in the private sector.  She also served as Communications Coordinator for the Tennessee Pork Producers Association.  Debbie grew up in Coffee County on her family’s purebred hog farm. 

Mike Brown

Expertise:  Food Manufacturing
Phone:  615-837-5545
Email:  Mike.F.Brown@tn.gov

Mike has been with the Department of Agriculture since 2014, originally serving as Outreach Coordinator for the Consumer and Industry Services division.  In his current role in Business Development, Mike is a resource for new and expanding food manufacturers, assisting them with developing marketing opportunities.

Prior to joining the department, Mike worked as a food marketing and product development consultant.  With 36 years in the food industry, Mike holds a Bachelor of Science in Food Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and a Master of Science from Tennessee State University. 

Christina Greer

Expertise: International Marketing
Phone:  615-837-5323
Email:  Christina.Greer@tn.gov

Christina joined the Business Development team in 2022. As an International Marketing Business Consultant, her works centers on increasing farm income at the global level. One way of doing that is by connecting to buyers in countries across the world. Many times her role includes taking farmers and businesses from Tennessee to those countries oversees to make the connection in-person.

While earning her Bachelor of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, Greer studied in the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Guatemala. She earned a Master of Science in Agricultural and Resource Economics, focusing on agriculture economics and statistics, from the University of Tennessee.

Position Vacant

Expertise: Wine, Spirits, and Hemp
Phone:  615-767-9758

David Neumann

Expertise: Forestry Consultant
Phone:  615-837-5334
Email:  David.Neumann@tn.gov

David joined the TN Department of Agriculture in 2022. As the division’s Forestry Business Consultant he supports growth of the wood products industry by assisting new and expanding forestry businesses.

David has over 30 years of experience in the forest management industry. For nearly 25 years he worked for the Michigan Department of Natural Resources as a Forest Marketing and Utilization Specialist. Prior to that role, he was the State Silviculturist and Forest Planning and Operations Analyst. David also operated a private forestry industry consulting business in Michigan. He managed timber sales, conducted timber appraisals, served as an expert witness for timber trespass, and wrote management plans for clients through the Forest Stewardship Program.

He holds a Bachelors of Arts in Journalism, a Bachelor of Science in Forestry, and a master’s degree in Forestry with an emphasis in Silviculture.

Wendy Sneed

Expertise:  Livestock, Meat Processing
Phone:  615-864-6367
Email:  Wendy.Sneed@tn.gov

Wendy came on staff at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture in 2007 to manage livestock programs for the Tennessee Agriculture Enhancement Program.  While still assisting with outreach efforts, she took over Livestock Marketing functions in 2009 working directly with producers marketing livestock off farm through retail as well as overseeing the Market News & Livestock Grading programs.  She continues her work with livestock marketing, but has added business development priorities involving meat processors and the expansion of harvest capacity/processing in Tennessee. 

Wendy was raised on her family’s dairy and row crop operation in Weakley County.  She now assists in managing her family’s registered cattle operation and feed store in Warren County.   She attended the University of Tennessee at Martin where she received her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a Master of Business Administration.

Kacey Troup

Expertise:  Agritourism
Phone:  615-837-5165
Email:  kacey.troup@tn.gov

Kacey joined the Business Development team in 2019. As a Business Consultant, she focuses on expanding the Agritourism industry. Before becoming a Business Consultant, Kacey worked for UT/TSU Extension in Rutherford County with their 4-H Youth Development program and the Rutherford County Farmers Market.

Growing up in Southern Maryland, Kacey was raised on her family’s Agritourism farm. She moved to Tennessee to attend Middle Tennessee State University where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Agribusiness as well as a Master of Education in Ag Educational Leadership. While at MTSU, Kacey chartered and served as the first president of the Agritourism Club. She also served as the Student Coordinator for the MTSU School of Agriculture’s two annual Agritourism events.

The Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) was established in 2005 to provide cost share dollars to agricultural producers for the purpose of making long-term investments in Tennessee farms and communities. Participation allows producers to maximize farm profits, adapt to changing market situations, improve operation safety, increase farm efficiency, and make a positive economic impact in their communities.

Learn more here.

To help Tennessee's farmers and agribusinesses make sound marketing decisions, the Tennessee Department of Agriculture and the United States Department of Agriculture provide the Tennessee Market News Service. Tennesseans have relied on this service for many years. The trained reporters below gather and disseminate complete, accurate, unbiased and up to the minute agricultural market news information depicting the current conditions of supply, demand, price, trend, movement and other information affecting the trade of livestock, grain and other commodities.

Timely and reliable information is compiled and updated several times a day through voice mail recordings via a toll-free hotline service provided by the Tennessee Department of Agriculture. The number to call is 1-800-342-8206. In cooperation with USDA, the market news service also disseminates information statewide through local media. Learn more here.