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:
January 14, 2025 – “Pitfalls to Avoid when Growing a Value-Added Dairy Business” – Sarah Cornelisse, Penn State University
February 11, 2025 – “Research-Based Marketing Insights for the Dairy Industry” – Dr. Alicia Rihn, UT Department of Agriculture and Resource Economics
March 11, 2025 – “Principles of Layout & Design for Social Media Content Creation” – Alaina Boyd, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
April 8, 2025 – “Principles of Visual Branding for Consistent Digital Marketing” – Alaina Boyd, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
May 13, 2025 – “Transition Planning” – Les Humpall, UT Center of Farm Management
June 10, 2025 – “E-Commerce Essentials” – Alaina Boyd, UT Center for Profitable Agriculture
July 8, 2025 – “MarketReady Core Training” – Dr. Tim Woods, University of Kentucky
August 12, 2025 – “Estate Planning” – Christina Bartee, Batson Nolan PLC
September 9, 2025 – “NAFMDA Lessons Learned” – 2025 NAFDMA Professional Development Scholarship Recipients
October 14, 2025 – Speaker and Topic TBA
November 11, 2025 – “Marketing for Your Health” – Camille Stevens, University of Kentucky Department of Agricultural Economics
December 9, 2025 – Speaker and Topic TBA
Registration
Registration is free, but pre-registration 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. To receive credit, participants must either attend the live sessions or view recordings AND submit the evaluation/attendance for all sessions by December 31, 2025.
Funding for this program is 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.
Workshop Flyer:
2025 Southeast Value-Added Dairy Conference
Description
Each year, the Southeast Value-Added Dairy Conference (SEVAD) provides educational and networking opportunities for dairy business owners, researchers, Extension professionals, and industry partners. Since it began in 2020, SEVAD has engaged hundreds of dairy industry stakeholders with conference sessions and tours offering actionable information designed to maximize enterprise savings and new revenue.
Date, Time, and Location
This year the conference will be held at The University of Tennessee’s Agricultural and Natural Resources Building located at 2431 Joe Johnson Dr, Knoxville, TN 37996.
Workshops and presentations will be held July 31 & August 1, with farm tours on Wednesday, July 30.
Registration and Fees
Early bird registration ends on July 14.
Please register here at tiny.utk.edu/SEVAD25.
Registration is $100 for those who register before midnight on June 30th. Registration will be $150 after this date or on the day of the conference.
Lodging
Lodging for conference attendees is available at the Hilton Downtown Knoxville located at 501 Church Street, Knoxville, TN 37902.
Book directly within the SEVAD room block online at tiny.utk.edu/SEVADHotel.
You may also make a booking on the SEVAD Conference block by calling (865) 523-2300 and referencing the group code: SEDCA.
Travel Stipends for Dairy Producers
A travel stipend of up to $700 is available for those actively engaged in operating or planning (must plan on being permitted in the next 12 months) a dairy processing or production business. Apply for the travel stipend online at tiny.utk.edu/SEVADStipend.
Conference Agenda
Information on conference sessions and an itinerary for the event can be found online at tiny.utk.edu/SEVADAgenda.
Questions?
Contact Shep Stearns at sstearn1@utk.edu with questions.
Funding for this program is 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.
Workshop Flyer:
2025 SDBII Southeast Experiential Learning Course
Description
Dairy farmers, value-added dairy producer-processors, and industry partners from Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and surrounding southeastern states are invited to join UT Extension this fall as part of a Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (SDBII) experiential learning course.
The SDBII Southeast Experiential Learning Course is planned for July 29 through August 4, 2025. Course participants will spend several days in Knoxville, TN before traveling to North Carolina for three additional days of educational programming. Course activities include on-farm learning at a variety of value-added dairy operations across Tennessee and North Carolina. Course participants will be able to network with dairy producers from across the U.S while engaged in the program.
In addition to valuable networking opportunities, course participants will have the opportunity to engage in continued professional development via participation in the 2025 Southeast Value-Added Dairy (SEVAD) Conference held on the campus of the University of Tennessee. This year’s experiential learning course is being held concurrently with the SEVAD Conference. Additional information and registration for the SEVAD Conference can be found online at https://tiny.utk.edu/SEVAD25.
The Southeast Experiential Learning Course itinerary includes seven 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 focuses on dairy producers and processors, interested technical assistance providers and industry partners are welcome to participate as well.
Funding for this program is 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
The Southeast Experiential Learning Course will take place on July 29 – August 4, 2025. Dates of travel include July 29 (arrive in Knoxville) and August 4 (return to Knoxville). Learning course activities will take place during July 30 – August 4.
Tour stops will be spread out between Knoxville, TN and North Carolina. Transportation around TN and NC to site visits will be included as part of the learning course. Tour logistics and a detailed agenda will be shared with participants after they have been notified of acceptance into the course.
Registration
Pre-registration is required to participate in the Southeast Experiential Learning Course, and spaces are limited. While there is no cost associated with submitting an application, submission does not guarantee admission to the program. A completed application form is required for each individual who wishes to participate in the program.
Please complete an application form online at https://tiny.utk.edu/SoutheastDBIReg.
Accepted applicants will be financially responsible for their travel to and from Knoxville, TN. Southeast Experiential Learning Course participants are expected to make their own travel arrangements to and from Knoxville, TN. Conference registration and lodging for the SEVAD Conference will be included with admission into the course for accepted applicants. A limited number of reimbursement scholarships of up to $700 are also available to help defray the cost of travel. Scholarship awards will be prioritized for dairy producers but may be awarded to other participants as funds allow.
TAEP and Other Educational Credit
Producers participating in the tour who successfully complete a program evaluation form 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.
Questions?
Questions related to the 2025 Southeast Experiential Learning Course should be directed to Extension specialists Shep Stearns (sstearn1@utk.edu) and Ansley Roper (aroper2@utk.edu).