Activities Include On-farm Learning at Locations in Tennessee and North Carolina, July 29 – August 4
COLUMBIA, Tenn. – Dairy farmers, value-added dairy producer-processors, and industry partners from Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, and other southeastern states are invited to join University of Tennessee Extension this summer 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, Tennessee, 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 nation 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, Knoxville. 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 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.
“We are excited to provide a unique educational experience for our southeastern dairy producers that combines both the benefits of the annual Experiential Learning Course and the SEVAD Conference into one program,” says SDBII Program Director Liz Eckelkamp, associate professor of animal science and UT Extension dairy specialist.
An application for a seat in the Southeast Experiential Learning Course is required in order to participate, and spaces are limited. Submitting an application does not guarantee admission to the program. For additional information on the program and to register, please visit tiny.utk.edu/SoutheastDBIReg.
Course participants are expected to make their own travel arrangements and will be financially responsible for their travel to and from Knoxville. 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.
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 five hours of Tennessee Master Dairy Producer credit for the year.
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).
Funding for this experiential learning course was made possible, in part, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service. Additional information about the Southeastern Dairy Business Initiative can be found at tiny.utk.edu/sdbii.
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.