Carol McDonald Named Assistant Commissioner for Agriculture

NASHVILLE – Tennessee Department of Agriculture Commissioner Julius Johnson today announced the appointment of Carol Coley McDonald as Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Legislation.    

 

“Carol has an intimate knowledge of agriculture and rural issues, which will serve the state well as we work to support Governor Haslam’s priorities on rural economic development,” said Johnson. “I’m very pleased that she is joining our staff. She will do a great job in representing the department on legislative and policy matters.”

 

McDonald will join the department March 21. As assistant commissioner, she will serve as the department’s principal liaison to the Tennessee General Assembly and will direct policy and program development in areas ranging from food safety, pesticides and consumer protection to forestry and agricultural development. 

 

McDonald currently is an Extension agent in Smith County where she has served since 2005 as the 4-H program coordinator for events, sponsorships and volunteers. She has also worked in education and has extensive experience in agribusiness as a former owner and partner of Catesa Farms, a large diversified livestock and row crop operation, and C&G Seeds, a seed and chemicals dealer in Riddleton, Tenn.

 

“I am very honored and excited that Commissioner Johnson has the confidence in my abilities to appoint me to this position,” said McDonald. “My entire life has revolved around agriculture service and this is a great opportunity to continue that service. Agriculture is very near and dear to my heart and I look forward to working with the department.”   

 

McDonald previously worked for the department as a statistician, collecting information on farm production in multiple counties for the Census of Agriculture. 

 

She has a bachelor’s degree in Animal Science from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and has been recognized by UT Extension with numerous honors including both Outstanding 4-H Youth Development Agent and Outstanding Agent. She is also a recipient of the Tennessee Farm Bureau’s Young Farmers & Ranchers Outstanding Young Woman Award.

 

McDonald grew up on a family farm, currently operated by her brothers, in Macon County where they have raised purebred Hereford cattle for forty years. She lives in Carthage and is an active member of the Carthage United Methodist Church. She serves on the Smith County Fair board and was instrumental in re-establishing the fair in 2008.

 

She has two daughters, Celia, a third-year Pharmacy student at Lipscomb University and Sarah, an Agriculture Economics major at the University of Tennessee.