Carol Coley McDonald is a lifelong 4-H’er. She joined as a young girl, following in the footsteps of her older siblings and becoming active in the organization in fourth grade.
Her experience growing up paved the way for a career in agriculture, and today, she is the Tennessee Department of Agriculture’s (TDA) Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Legislation as well as a Tennessee 4-H Foundation Board member.
An Early Start
“I grew up on a Hereford cattle farm in Lafayette, Tennessee, in Macon County with two older brothers and a younger sister,” Carol says. “All four of us were very involved in 4-H projects, and my parents were very supportive and encouraging of our participation.”
Carol says beef cattle was her main project throughout 4-H, including showing cattle across the state and nation and helping on her family’s farm.
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“My parents’ work ethic and my 4-H beef project certainly taught me a lot about responsibility, hard work, decision making and determination,” she says. “My 4-H experiences also gave me a strong basis from which I learned how to properly plan, make a presentation and have the confidence to carry it out. Whether I’m explaining the impact of potential legislation to an ag industry group or discussing the importance of youth agriculture education programs, I rely on the basic skills I learned in 4-H to get my point across.”
A Key to the Future
Carol served as the Smith County 4-H agent for six years and says it was great training for her current role with the department.
As Assistant Commissioner for Policy and Legislation, Carol is the liaison between TDA and the Tennessee General Assembly, assisting 33 state senators and 99 state representatives with agricultural concerns and questions. She tracks legislation that might impact TDA and/or the industry and communicates with other TDA agencies, the Governor’s office, legislators and their staff on what that could mean.
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“TDA is like a big family,” Carol says. “We all are working hard to advocate and assist farmers, producers and foresters across the state. I feel very blessed to work with such knowledgeable and passionate people, as they are who I lean on for the accurate information that I need.”
Additionally, she works with youth agriculture educational programs, including 4-H, FFA and Farm Bureau’s Ag in the Classroom to help prepare the next generation of Tennessee’s No. 1 industry.
Carol says her current role and her role as a 4-H agent were similar in that no two days are alike, and both keep her on her toes. But her favorite part of both is advocating for Tennessee agriculture and forestry.
It’s Easy Being Green
“I’ve served on the Tennessee 4-H Foundation Board since 2020,” Carol says. “The life skills I gained as a member, volunteer and agent have been very impactful to me throughout my life. Staying involved in 4-H and giving our young people those same opportunities is very important to me.”
As someone who had the opportunity to experience agriculture from a young age, passing along that experience is something Carol stays passionate about, especially for those youth who may not have grown up on the farm.
“I absolutely love to encourage, support and witness 4-H’ers as they grow into leaders. It’s amazing to watch them overcome challenges, serve their communities and be set up for success within agriculture and forestry.”
