Empowerment through education is the driving force behind an upcoming conference for women in Tennessee's agriculture industry. Scheduled for April 12, the Grow What You Know conference aims to provide a day full of learning, networking, and skill-building for women involved or interested in farming—a field where they make up about 36% of farmers in Tennessee, according to the USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture.
The day's schedule at the University of Tennessee at Martin’s Vet Tech Facility includes research-based presentations and hands-on workshops covering a variety of topics, such as soil health and livestock management. Mistakes notwithstanding, the event should provide invaluable resources for attendees to succeed in agriculture. "Whether you are a producer, agribusiness professional, industry stakeholder, student or someone who simply wants to learn more about farming, you are invited to this day of education and networking," event coordinator and University of Tennessee Extension specialist Joetta White told UTIA News.
Grow What You Know is organized by Tennessee AgrAbility and its partners, including the Herbert College of Agriculture, the UT Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education, and Communications, Sigma Alpha sorority, and Gibson County Farm Bureau Women. A collaboration that showcases the combined efforts of these entities, Tennessee AgrAbility—which is itself a collaboration among several educational and agricultural institutions—is focused on fostering success among producers of all backgrounds in the state and beyond.
Registration for the conference costs $30 with lunch included. Participants can preregister at a given URL or by reaching out directly to Joetta White via email. The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, comprising of the Herbert College of Agriculture and others, is known for its contributions to the agricultural community through teaching, research, and outreach—delivering Real. Life. Solutions., as put by their mission statement.
