Former Tennessee Commissioner of Agriculture Dan Wheeler has died at 82. Mr Wheeler is a Cumberland County native.

His professional career began in 1965 with the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation, His dedication to agriculture led to his appointment by Governor Don Sundquist as the 32nd Commissioner of Agriculture in January 1995. Dan concluded his distinguished career as the Director of The University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture, where he served from 2002 through 2006.

The Legislature also noted his visionary leadership in chairing the first-ever Governor’s Council on Agriculture and Forestry, where he set the vision and strategic initiatives for his tenure at the Department of Agriculture, including a major reorganization of the Department.

Mr. Wheeler was born in the Crab Orchard community of Cumberland County, Tennessee A celebration of his life will be held at First United Methodist Church in Columbia on April 12, 2025, at Noon