Cancellation Policy:
The entire registration fee will be charged for educational program cancellations made after the registration deadline. The entire registration fee will also be charged for any registration participant who does not attend the event. Educational programs include events such as trainings, seminars, workshops, tours, webinars and conferences.
Dair-ing To Learn Value-Added Webinar Series
Description
Educational sessions to help direct farm marketers and value-added agriculture entrepreneurs analyze, develop, and grow their enterprises. While the program especially targets value-added dairy producers, all are welcome and encouraged to participate!
Date, Time and Location
All sessions will be held on the second Tuesday of each month via Zoom at 11:30 AM CDT / 12:30 PM EDT:
May 9, 2023 – “Key Concepts for Successful Marketing” – Megan Bruch Leffew, Center for Profitable Agriculture
June 13, 2023 – “UT Center of Farm Management” – David Bilderback, UT Center of Farm Management
July 11, 2023 – “Adobe Express 101” – David Yates, UT Extension Eastern Region
August 8 , 2023 – “TDA Grant Programs Overview” – Rachel Sullivan, Tennessee Department of Agriculture
September 12, 2023 – “Staying Safe on the Farm” – Tennessee Department of Health Foodborne and Enteric Diseases Program
October 10, 2023 – “Managing Stress on the Farm” – Heather Sedges, UT Extension
November 14, 2023 – TBA
December 12, 2023 – TBA
Registration
Registration is free, but preregistration is required.
Please register here at tiny.utk.edu/dairing.
Past Recordings
View the YouTube playlist of past Dair-ing to Learn sessions here.
Questions?
Contact Alaina Boyd at 931-486-2777 ext 126 or acboyd@utk.edu.
TAEP Eligibility
Producers participating in at least five sessions per calendar year will fulfill one Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) Producer Diversification educational requirement for the following Producer Diversification sectors: Agritourism, Fruits and Vegetables, and Value-Added. Questions about TAEP should be directed to the TAEP Producer Diversification Coordinator at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at producer.diversification@tn.gov.
Support for the program has been made available in part through USDA Agricultural Marketing Service Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Grant AM200100XXXXG002. Additional information about the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative can be found at https://tiny.utk.edu/sdbii.
Workshop Flyer:
MarketReady Tennessee Food Buyer Tours
Description
Local producers and farm retailers are invited to connect with food buyers in their area in this unique tour of the Nashville and Knoxville farm-to-table scenes!
These buyer tours will serve as an opportunity to explore unique food buyer opportunities in the Nashville and Knoxville areas.
These tours are offered as part of a collaborative effort on behalf of the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative.
Date, Time and Location
September 21, 2023 – Nashville, TN
September 28, 2023 – Knoxville, TN
Registration
Registration is free, but preregistration is required. An individual registration form must be completed for each person attending the tour.
If you plan to attend both tours, please indicate as such on your registration form.
Please register here at https://tiny.utk.edu/MRTNReg.
Registration Deadline
The deadline to register for each tour is as follows:
Nashville – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 9/14/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Knoxville – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 9/21/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Logistics
Participants should plan to meet the tour group at the starting locations listed below based on their tour choice. Carpooling is encouraged.
Each tour will include a total of three stops. One of the tour stops will be offering lunch. Specific location details and a detailed agenda will be provided to tour participants prior to the event.
Nashville Tour Meeting Location: CHECK-IN BEGINS AT 7:45 AM CST / 8:45 AM EST
Meet at University of Tennessee Central Region Extension Office
5201 Marchant Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
Knoxville Tour Meeting Location: CHECK-IN BEGINS AT 8:00 AM CST / 9:00 AM EST
Meet at University of Tennessee Eastern Region Extension Office
1801 Downtown West Blvd., Knoxville, TN 37919
Questions?
Contact Alaina Boyd at 931-486-2777 ext 126 or acboyd@utk.edu.
Workshop Flyer:
Developing Your Value-Added Marketing Strategy
Description
An SDBII short course focused on developing effective value-added marketing strategies using cheese as an example.
Individual sessions to be held in TN, KY, and NC. Open to all value-added producers and technical assistance providers.
Workshop Topics Include:
- Crafting Your Marketing Strategy
- Communicating the Value of Your Product to Consumers
- Product and Brand Perceptions
- Packaging and Pricing Considerations
- Interactive Sensory Analysis Component
Date, Time and Location
This training will feature individual sessions held in North Carolina, Tennessee, and Kentucky. All sessions will be held from 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM local time.
North Carolina Sessions:
October 16th, 2023 – J. Edward Booth Field Learning Lab – Raleigh, North Carolina
4000 Chi Rd, Raleigh, NC 27603
October 17th, 2023 – WNC Regional Livestock Center – Canton, North Carolina
474 Stock Dr, Canton, NC 28716
Tennessee Sessions:
October 18th, 2023 – UT Creamery – Knoxville, TN
2712 Neyland Drive, Knoxville, TN 37919
October 19th, 2023 – Nash Family Creamery – Chapel Hill, TN
4019 US-41A N, Chapel Hill, TN 37034
Kentucky Sessions:
October 24th, 2023 – E.S Good Barn – Lexington, KY
1451 University Dr, Lexington, KY 40503
October 25th, 2023 – WKU Hilltopper Creamery & Farm Market – Bowling Green, KY
406 Elrod Rd, Bowling Green, KY 42104
Registration
Register online at https://tiny.utk.edu/VAMReg.
Registration Deadline
The deadline to register for each workshop location is as follows:
Raleigh, NC – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 10/10/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Canton, NC – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 10/11/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Knoxville, TN – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 10/12/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Chapel Hill, TN – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 10/13/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Lexington, KY – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 10/16/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Bowling Green, KY – DEADLINE TO REGISTER IS 10/17/23 AT 5 PM CENTRAL TIME
Questions?
Contact Alaina Boyd at 931-486-2777 ext 126 or acboyd@tennessee.edu.
Workshop Flyer:
SDBII Wisconsin Value-Added Dairy Experiential Learning Course
Description
Dairy farmers, value-added dairy producer-processors, and industry partners from Tennessee, North Carolina, and Kentucky are invited to attend the upcoming Wisconsin Value-Added Dairy Experiential Learning Course.
This short course will take place October 2 – 5, 2023. Course participants will meet in the Madison, WI area for four days of programming including visits to cheese processing facilities, creameries, and a visit to this year’s World Dairy Expo.
The course itinerary includes eight stops at farms where participants will learn directly from farm owners and staff about a variety of topics such as on-farm marketing, product packaging, and agritourism. These sessions are intended to help value-added entrepreneurs analyze, develop, and grow their farm enterprises. While the program especially targets value-added dairy producers, interested technical assistance providers and industry partners are welcome to participate as well.
Pre-registration is required to participate in the Wisconsin Value-Added Dairy Experiential Learning Course, and spaces are limited.
Producers participating in the tour who successfully complete a tour evaluation will fulfill one of two Tennessee Agricultural Enhancement Program (TAEP) Producer Diversification educational requirements for the following Producer Diversification sectors: Agritourism and Value-Added. Questions about TAEP should be directed to the TAEP Producer Diversification Coordinator at the Tennessee Department of Agriculture at producer.diversification@tn.gov. Producers participating in this educational tour are also eligible for Tennessee Master Dairy Producer credit for the year.
Funding for the series was made possible, in part, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Additional information about the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative can be found at https://tiny.utk.edu/sdbii.
Date, Time and Location
This training will take place in Madison, Wisconsin from October 2 – 5, 2023.
Additional location details TBA.
Registration
Please register to attend online at https://tiny.utk.edu/VAWIReg.
You will be contacted via email regarding the status of your application 7-14 days after you apply. A spot in the course will be reserved for you once you have confirmed your travel plans. You must arrive in Madison, WI (MSN Airport) by 11pm/CT on Sunday, 10/1 and depart no earlier than 4am/CT on Friday, 10/6. Travel plans must be confirmed with SDBII staff no later than 9/1 at 2pm/ET.
Questions?
Contact Shep Stearns at sstearn1@utk.edu or (860) 595-6053.
Workshop Flyer:
Starting a Value-Added Dairy Foods Business: Tennessee, Kentucky, North Carolina
Description
Learn the basics for starting a value-added dairy foods business with state-specific modules covering regulations for TN, KY, and NC in this online course offered via Penn State University.
This online course covers principles of processing, marketing, pricing, and regulations for dairy foods, such as yogurt and cheese. Participants will also learn to use budget tools to make profitable decisions.
The Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative is offering free course access on a first-come, first-served basis to dairy producers in Tennessee, Kentucky, and North Carolina. The course will be made free to eligible producers, but you must contact James Harlan at jharlan3@utk.edu in order to receive an access code. A single code is only valid for a single course registration, and does not provide credit to more than one producer.
Free course access for TN, KY, and NC producers was made possible, in part, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Additional information about the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative can be found at https://tiny.utk.edu/sdbii.
Date, Time and Location
This online course is delivered virtually via Penn State University. It is a self-paced course featuring nine content modules.
Questions?
Contact James Harlan at jharlan3@utk.edu for more information.
Workshop Flyer:
