The annual Southeast Value-Added Dairy (SEVAD) Conference was held earlier this month in Knoxville, TN. This two-day professional development opportunity was held on the University of Tennessee campus in the newly opened Agriculture and Natural Resources building. This year’s SEVAD conference hosted approximately 100 attendees with representation from numerous southeastern states, including TN, KY, NC, SC, MS, GA, and AL. Conference attendees included dairy producer-processors and technical assistance providers from across the region.

This two-day event featured numerous educational breakout sessions and networking opportunities. Keynote speakers included industry leaders such as the Ice Cream Scientist, Dr. Maya M. Warren.

An optional bonus day was held on July 30 and featured farm visits to Sweetwater Valley Farm in Philadelphia, TN, as well as to the East Tennessee Research and Education Center (ETREC)’s Little River Dairy Unit in Walland, TN.

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.