Notes from the 2026 Southeast Value-Added Dairy Conference

Dr. Timothy Woods and I spent the last week of July in Knoxville, Tennessee, at the 2026 Southeast Value-Added Dairy Conference. For anyone unfamiliar; SEVAD is the annual conference of the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (SDBII), a USDA-funded effort led by the University of Tennessee in partnership with NC State University, the Kentucky Dairy Development Council and the University of Kentucky. SDBII is split between competitive grants made directly to dairy businesses and technical assistance programs like the SEVAD conference. 

This year's program offered substantial coverage for small ruminant producers, and a large number of sheep and goat dairies were in attendance. This was the track I spent most of my time in. Sessions covered how forage and nutrition shape milk composition and cheese quality, udder health and mastitis in sheep and goats, and grazing and browsing systems designed for small ruminants.

A few other topics that came up across the conference: buyers are reading labels for protein and fiber, portions are getting smaller, and yogurt and cottage cheese consumption has taken off. Dr. Maya Warren's session on ice cream innovation worked through what it takes to build an ice cream business under those pressures, as well as the complexities of ice cream chemistry from home batch to continous production.

If you run a value-added dairy operation in Kentucky, or you're thinking about starting one, SEVAD is worth the drive: SDBII typically offers scholarship funding for dairy business owners to cover registration, travel, and lodging, and the 2027 conference is already set for Knoxville, July 28–30. 

Visit the SDBII website here to learn more.