Southeast Dairy Initiative receives $3.45 million to support regional farms.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture has secured $3.45 million to support the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative, which since 2019 has distributed more than $21 million to over 229 projects across the region.

The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture announced a $3.45 million infusion to support the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (SDBII). The initiative, led by Associate Professor Elizabeth Eckelkamp in the Department of Animal Science, combines scientific research and community engagement to bolster dairy production, processing, and marketing in the Southeast. SDBII began in 2019 with USDA Agricultural Marketing Service funding under the 2018 Farm Bill and has grown through multi-institution collaboration. Key details: - Funding: The latest infusion is $3.45 million to support SDBII activities. - Reach: Since 2019, SDBII has distributed more than $21 million in grant funding to over 229 projects. - Leadership and partners: The program is led by Associate Professor Elizabeth Eckelkamp and works with institutions including North Carolina State University, the University of Kentucky, and industry partners such as the Kentucky Dairy Development Council. - Expertise: SDBII draws on a team of 46 subject matter experts across fields like animal science, agricultural economics, food science, and marketing. - Initiatives: New work includes a dairy-specific Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning (STP) marketing toolkit and continued emphasis on workforce development through internships and experiential learning. Summary: The funding reinforces SDBII's ongoing multi-institutional, research-to-practice approach to support sustainability, processing, marketing, and workforce development in southeastern dairy communities. The program plans further expansion through strategic partnerships and increased use of digital technologies such as precision farming and supply-chain tools as it continues its work.