TAEP Updates 2025-2026

TAEP Application & Program Information – Online Only

The 2025 TAEP application process is entirely online. Application and program information is available online only. The traditional application booklets are no longer printed or available online. Paper application forms are no longer available.

Online applications will be available as a live link (no downloading required) on this webpage during the application period (October 1-7). The application link does not exist within the TAEP Account Portal. It is not necessary to have a TAEP Account to apply.

Applicants will need the following to apply online:

• Email address – applicant must have a working email address which is exclusive to the applicant and not utilized by other TAEP applicants. Applicant must be able to monitor email account for confirmation email and other correspondence related to cost share participation.
• Internet access – applicant will need access to the internet to apply.
• Electronic device – applicant will need access to a computer, laptop, tablet, or smartphone to apply. Computers are preferred over smartphones.

Proof of Applying

• Applicant will receive a confirmation email from taep.confirmation@tn.gov if application is successfully submitted.
• Check spam/junk folder if confirmation email is not received within 15 minutes of submitting application. Applicant can add taep.confirmation@tn.gov to trusted contact list.
• Applicant is encouraged to save confirmation email as proof of applying.
  

Educational Requirement – Master Certification & Special Requirements

• Master Certification - Application A - approved applicants will be required to have a current eligible master certification at time of reimbursement - not at time of application - to be considered for cost share funding. Eligible master certifications are determined by program. Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) training is now incorporated into Master Beef certification and is no longer required prior to applying. Cattle producers are encouraged to maintain their BQA certification.
• Special Requirements - Application B (Producer Diversification) - approved applicants will be required to have a current eligible master certification or special requirement equivalent for Producer Diversification at time of reimbursement - not at time of application - to be considered for cost share funding. Eligible special requirements are determined by program.

50% Cost Share

The amount of payment is based upon 50% cost share of expenses incurred for eligible program items up to the program maximum. The option of 35% cost share is no longer available.

Approved applicants are required to have a current eligible educational requirement at time of reimbursement to be considered for cost share funding. See Educational Requirement.

New Livestock Eligibility

Equids (horses, donkeys, and mules) have been added as eligible livestock for the following programs:

• Hay Storage
  
• Livestock Equipment – added equine stocks, stall mats, & hay elevator to eligible items list
  
• Livestock Solutions – added equine exercise walker to the eligible list

Applicant must operate a commercial equine business involved in breeding, training, and/or boarding.

• The minimum requirement for participation is 20 head of equids (horses, donkeys, and/or mules). TAEP defines “Head of Livestock” as the maximum number of single type, regardless of sex or age, at any one time during the last 12 months at time of application for the current program year (October 1-7).
  
• Horses, donkeys, and mules can be combined to meet the minimum head requirement.
  
• Educational Requirement – approved applicant will be allowed to take any of the eligible master certifications for the program approved. Master Forage and Master Horse have been added to the eligible list of master certifications.

Beginning Farmer Option

• This program option allows applicants, who do not meet the current minimum requirements for any TAEP Application A program, the opportunity to participate with reduced minimum requirements in select programs (Genetics or Livestock Equipment). The purpose of this option is to help the beginning farmer applicant improve their operation with the goal of meeting TAEP minimum livestock/acreage requirements in the future.
  
• Applicant must be a first time TAEP applicant, farming ten years or less, and have filed a Federal IRS Schedule F (Form 1040), Profit or Loss from Farming, within the last two years (2023 or 2024). The IRS Schedule F requirement is waived for the 2025-2026 TAEP program if the applicant began their operation in 2025.

Dairy Solutions

• Dairy producers must be permitted by TDA to be eligible as a dairy at time of application.
  
• Only one person from the farm operation may apply for cost share.
  
• Contact TDA Consumer and Industry Services Division Dairy Section for permit information at 615-837-5536.

New eligible items:

• Milk pasteurizer – pasteurizer for calf milk, not eligible – pasteurizer used for human consumption
  
• Stall loops and/or neck bars

Changes to eligible items:

• Milking equipment service contract – receipts must indicate services performed; not eligible – prepaid service contracts

Genetics

• All bulls must have eligible GE-EPDs between October 1, 2025 and date of purchase.
  
• Bulls must qualify under 1 of 2 bull type options: Balanced Trait/Maternal or Carcass Merit/Terminal.
  
• Bulls that do not meet all eligibility requirements between October 1, 2025 and date of purchase will be denied cost share reimbursement.
  
• Buyer must communicate with the seller prior to purchasing to ensure bull meets all TAEP eligibility requirements.

Hay Equipment

• Hay Equipment minimum requirement is based upon hay production only.
  
• Minimum requirement – 100 acres of hay production (first cutting only)
  
• Acreage can be owned or leased in Tennessee. Applicant may be required to list location of acres at time of reimbursement.
  

Hay Storage

• Lifetime Limit of three (3) reimbursements has been removed.
  
• Standalone center structure only
  
• Additions in the form of side sheds or extensions are not eligible
  
• Carport/Garage type structures are not eligible.
  
• Minimum size 1,200 square feet
  
• 14 ft. eave height
  
• Square footage is calculated post to post; overhang is not eligible in square footage calculation
  
• New materials must be utilized in the construction of the barn.
  
• Acreage can be owned or leased in Tennessee. Applicant may be required to list location of acres at time of reimbursement.
  

Herd Health

• Lifetime limit of three (3) reimbursements.
  
• Herd Health reimbursements are based upon a per head amount per item.
  
• Approved applicant must have current eligible educational requirement at time of reimbursement even though reimbursements are based upon a per head, not a 50% cost share.
  

Livestock Equipment

New eligible items:

• Corral panel trailer – must be able to carry a minimum of 10 portable corral panels: not eligible – flat bed trailers
  
• Equine stocks – not eligible – stalls and stall fronts
  
• Feed lot scraper – skid steer/tractor mounted pusher blade/rubber attachment or pull behind scraper for cleaning heavy use feeding area
  
• Hay elevator – min. 16 ft; not eligible – extensions to existing hay elevator
  
• Stall mats – heavy duty; can be a single mat or interlocking mats
  

Changes to eligible items:

• Livestock trailer – reduced trailer size to min. 10 ft. to better accommodate goats/sheep/equids and moved to Livestock Solutions
  
• Rotary cutter/pasture clipper – moved to Livestock Solutions
  
• Slant bar hay feeder on skids/wheels – feeder must be on skids/wheels, cover optional at time of purchase; not eligible – hay rings/feeders not on skids/wheels
  

Livestock Solutions

• Minimum requirement reduced:
  
• Cattle – reduced from 100 head to 30 head
  
• Goats/sheep – reduced from 150 head to 50 head
  
• Equids (horses, donkeys, and/or mules) – added as eligible sector with minimum requirement of 20 head; applicant must operate a commercial equine business involved in breeding, training, and/or boarding to be eligible.
  

New eligible items:

• Equine exercise walker – stationary walker consisting of a central motor that drives a rotating system
  
• Livestock trailer – min. 10 ft.
  
• Rotary cutter/pasture clipper – min. 8 ft.
  
• Spreaders – pull behind nutrient application equipment for spreading fertilizer, lime, litter, or manure; not eligible – 3pt hitch spreaders
  

Changes to eligible items:

• Feed lot scraper moved to Livestock Equipment
  

Poultry Grower

• Commercial growers
  

New eligible items:

• Poultry house cabling – re-cabling of entire line systems; can be just one line system or all cables in the poultry house
  
• Poultry litter treatment spreader – poultry litter treatment is not eligible
  
• Turbo grow feeders – minimum purchase of 150 feeders; not eligible – feeder trays
  
• Water storage tanks – minimum tank size of 5,000 gallons
  

Producer Diversification

• Applicant must be an existing agricultural producer.
  
• It is recommended to have at least three years of reported farm income to be considered a competitive applicant within Producer Diversification.
  
• Applications are competitively evaluated by industry sector.
  
• Priority is given to projects that focus on long-term use and on improving or increasing farm operation production.
  
• To ensure long-term investments, items requested must be able to meet the five (5) year verification period to be considered for cost share.
  
• Infrastructure must be built on the farm.
  
• 2025 TAEP Producer Diversification Proposal Worksheet – see Producer Diversification Overview webpage to download and prepare prior to applying.
  

Row Crop Solutions

• Row Crop minimum requirement is based upon crop (corn, cotton, soybeans, and/or wheat) production only.
  
• Minimum requirement – 100 acres of row crop production (corn, cotton, soybeans, and/or wheat)
  
• Acreage can be owned or leased in Tennessee. Applicant may be required to list location of acres at time of reimbursement.
  

Swine Producer

• Commercial growers
  
• Swine producers with a retail meat business may be eligible under Producer Diversification (Application B) – Value-Added sector.
  

New eligible items:

• Swine barn cabling — re-cabling of entire line systems; can be just one line system or all cables in the swine barn
  
• Water storage tanks — minimum tank size of 5,000 gallons
  

Working Structures & Fence-line Systems

• Permanent Working Cover – standalone center structure only
  
• Additions in the form of side sheds or extensions are not eligible
  
• Carport/Garage type structures are not eligible
  
• Minimum size — 800 sq. ft.
  
• Minimum width of 20 ft.
  
• Minimum length of 40 ft.
  
• Livestock working equipment permanently installed in a functional layout under the cover at time of reimbursement
  
• Livestock access/movement from outside flowing into the covered crowding system area
  
• Permanent Working Pen – pen must be permanent, and all four (4) sides must be new construction