University of Tennessee AgResearch, after an internal search, has appointed Jason Williams as the permanent director of the AgResearch and Education Center at Milan, effective October 1.
Williams has served as interim director since August 1, 2025, after former director Blake Brown concluded his 28-year tenure. Brown, who accepted a new role as associate dean of field operations for UT AgResearch, says Williams has been an ongoing asset to the Center and the university.
“For more than 30 years, Jason Williams has contributed to the mission of the Milan Center and the innumerable producers it impacts,” says Brown. “Whether it’s coordinating research, planning events or furthering the Center’s reputation as a pioneer in row crop technology, there is no one more fit for the role.”
During his time as interim director, Williams oversaw day-to-day operations, including assisting more than 18 faculty in conducting 144 active on-site field trials. He also managed more than eight staff members in addition to seasonal employees, provided oversight for the Center’s West Tennessee Agricultural Museum and coordinated the highly successful 34th Milan No-Till Field Day in July, which attracted almost 1,400 attendees.
“I am honored to receive this permanent appointment,” says Williams. “I am building on a legacy established by those who came before me, and we have a number of upcoming projects that will advance our mission in new and innovative ways.”
One project involves designing and implementing a community garden showcasing vegetable and fruit production in West Tennessee, conducted in partnership with UT-TSU Extension Gibson County and the UT Department of Food Science. Williams will also expand the Center’s involvement in row crop precision agriculture, including evaluating variable rate seeding and fertilizer technologies.
“Williams’ superb leadership and knowledge of agriculture will ensure UT AgResearch continues providing data-driven information for producers in Milan and nationwide,” says Hongwei Xin, dean of UT AgResearch. “He has spent almost his entire career with the university, and we are eager to see his contributions for years to come.”
Williams earned his bachelor’s degree in agricultural business from UT Martin and his master’s degree in agriculture with an emphasis in weed science from Murray State University. He began at the Milan Center in 1995 as a research associate and for almost three decades helped coordinate on-site research, manage field trials and develop precision agriculture databases to improve data collection and quality.
Established in 1962, the AgResearch and Education Center at Milan features more than 100 research projects annually focused on cotton, corn, soybeans, grain sorghum, wheat, cover crops and more. The Center is known for pioneering the no-till technology movement, saving millions of tons of Tennessee soil from erosion.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu .