Dr. Jaye Hamby appointed director of USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Mar 20, 2025
Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced the appointment of Dr. Jaye L. Hamby as the Director of the National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA). As Director, Dr. Hamby will lead USDA’s efforts to advance agricultural innovation, community outreach, and fostering the next generation of agricultural leaders.
“Dr. Hamby’s deep-rooted experience in agriculture—from hands-on work in farming to decades of leadership in research and innovation—makes him the ideal choice to lead NIFA,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “His commitment to advancing agricultural research, extension, and education will help drive solutions to the industry’s most pressing challenges and ensure the continued strength and global competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.”
NIFA provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences. It was established by the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) to find innovative solutions to issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, and communities. NIFA is one of four agencies that make up USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area, and is structured to direct federal funding effectively to programs that address key national and global challenges. Among those programs are the Cooperative Extension Programs and 4-H that are cooperative ventures between USDA and land-grant institutions.
“We’re proud that Dr. Hamby has been chosen for this important role in our government,” says TFC Chief Executive Officer Shannon Huff. “It’s encouraging to know we will have a strong supporter in this position to advocate for agriculture and our nation’s farmers. We appreciate all the work, Dr. Hamby has done for our Co-op system, and we know he will continue to serve as a voice for Tennessee agriculture and all farmers in this new position.”
Dr. Hamby joined the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Training Department on a contract basis in October 2021. During his tenure with TFC, he worked closely with member Co-ops to develop strategic planning initiatives, conduct demographic studies, and provide customer experience training, among other projects.
Dr. Hamby, a Tennessee native, grew up on his family’s cow-calf operation and developed a deep connection to agriculture through 4-H and FFA, eventually serving as a national FFA officer. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Tennessee before completing his master’s and doctorate degrees in agricultural education at Oklahoma State University. Over the course of his career, he has directed hundreds of research efforts specializing in concept testing, product marketing, value driver analysis, and following market trends and strategies to support agricultural producers.
As president of his company, AGRILEARN™, Dr. Hamby has served as a primary consultant for several rebranding initiatives for major agricultural retailers and is often invited to lead strategic planning efforts for agribusiness organizations. In early 2020, he designed the rollout of a producer segmentation model for a Top 5 agricultural entity. He has led strategic planning efforts for organizations of all sizes from small veterinary clinics to entities like the National Pork Board and Foremost Farms USA, and of course our Co-ops.
He lives with his wife, Patricia, on a small farm in College Grove, just south of Nashville. His son, Garren, is a student at Texas Tech University.
“Dr. Hamby’s deep-rooted experience in agriculture—from hands-on work in farming to decades of leadership in research and innovation—makes him the ideal choice to lead NIFA,” said U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. “His commitment to advancing agricultural research, extension, and education will help drive solutions to the industry’s most pressing challenges and ensure the continued strength and global competitiveness of U.S. agriculture.”
NIFA provides leadership and funding for programs that advance agriculture-related sciences. It was established by the Food Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (the 2008 Farm Bill) to find innovative solutions to issues related to agriculture, food, the environment, and communities. NIFA is one of four agencies that make up USDA’s Research, Education, and Economics (REE) mission area, and is structured to direct federal funding effectively to programs that address key national and global challenges. Among those programs are the Cooperative Extension Programs and 4-H that are cooperative ventures between USDA and land-grant institutions.
“We’re proud that Dr. Hamby has been chosen for this important role in our government,” says TFC Chief Executive Officer Shannon Huff. “It’s encouraging to know we will have a strong supporter in this position to advocate for agriculture and our nation’s farmers. We appreciate all the work, Dr. Hamby has done for our Co-op system, and we know he will continue to serve as a voice for Tennessee agriculture and all farmers in this new position.”
Dr. Hamby joined the Tennessee Farmers Cooperative Training Department on a contract basis in October 2021. During his tenure with TFC, he worked closely with member Co-ops to develop strategic planning initiatives, conduct demographic studies, and provide customer experience training, among other projects.
Dr. Hamby, a Tennessee native, grew up on his family’s cow-calf operation and developed a deep connection to agriculture through 4-H and FFA, eventually serving as a national FFA officer. He then earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from the University of Tennessee before completing his master’s and doctorate degrees in agricultural education at Oklahoma State University. Over the course of his career, he has directed hundreds of research efforts specializing in concept testing, product marketing, value driver analysis, and following market trends and strategies to support agricultural producers.
As president of his company, AGRILEARN™, Dr. Hamby has served as a primary consultant for several rebranding initiatives for major agricultural retailers and is often invited to lead strategic planning efforts for agribusiness organizations. In early 2020, he designed the rollout of a producer segmentation model for a Top 5 agricultural entity. He has led strategic planning efforts for organizations of all sizes from small veterinary clinics to entities like the National Pork Board and Foremost Farms USA, and of course our Co-ops.
He lives with his wife, Patricia, on a small farm in College Grove, just south of Nashville. His son, Garren, is a student at Texas Tech University.