Current Stories
The news releases featured below are a product of Marketing and Communication Services for
the UT Institute of Agriculture. For more information or to be added to our electronic distribution
list, please contact Patricia McDaniels (615-835-4570).
For past stories, please visit the News Archive.
July 2009
- Stockmanship Featured at
Steak and Potatoes Field Day
Renowned stockmanship instructor Curt Pate will be the featured speaker at the University
of Tennessee Steak and Potatoes Field Day. The free event starts at 8 a.m. CDT on Tuesday, Aug. 4, at UT's Plateau Research and Education Center in Crossville. - Tennessee Schedules Burley Tobacco and Forage Field Day for July 16
The UT Research and Education Center at Greeneville will hold its annual Tobacco and Forage Field Day on Thursday, July 16, beginning at 8 a.m. - UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for July: Crocosmia X
When June transitions into July and the coolness of spring is a distant memory, crocosmia enters as a bright spot in the garden.
June 2009
- UT Gardens Weekly Books and Blooms’ Continues Through July 30
Throughout the month of July, the area’s finest storytellers, surrounded by the beauty of the UT Gardens, will tell stories and perform book readings that are sure to entertain and educate audiences of all ages. - Farmers Awarded UT Switchgrass Contracts for Second Season
Thirty-eight area farmers received acceptance letters into the University of Tennessee’s second season of a switchgrass farmer incentive program. The farmers will be growing switchgrass for conversion to cellulosic ethanol. A total of 1,901 acres located in nine East Tennessee counties were enrolled in the 2009 program. - UT Gardens’ Blooms Days Festival and Marketplace
Offers Something for Everyone
Blooms Days has become a summer tradition, drawing families, students, and Knoxville natives to experience the splendor of the gardens. The event will run Saturday, June 27, 2009, from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. and Sunday, June 28 from 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. - University of Tennessee and State Government Officials Announce
One-Year Delay in Moving Lewisburg Jersey Herd
The UT Institute of Agriculture, state Senator Bill Ketron and state Representative Eddie Bass have announced a one-year delay in moving the Jersey dairy herd from the Dairy Research and Education Center in Lewisburg, Tennessee, to the Middle Tennessee Research and Education Center in Spring Hill. - Food Science and Technology Doctoral Student Receives
McClure
Scholarship for Study of Malaria
Ms. Adrienne Roach, a doctoral student in the Department of Food Science and Technology at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, was awarded a W.K. McClure Scholarship.
- 20th Annual UT Summer Celebration Lawn and Garden Show
is Sure to Sizzle
The 20th Annual Summer Celebration takes place from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 9, at the West Tennessee Research and Education Center. Dozens of plant and garden experts will be on hand, presenting information on topics that range from “Layer Cake Gardening” to “Roses that Rock Your World.” - UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for June: Mexican Feather Grass
Mexican Feather Grass is one of the most beautiful of all the ornamental grasses. Throughout the summer, the plant will grow in vase-like clumps that bear a profusion of feathery panicles spilling outward like a soft fountain.
May 2009
- It's Official: Tennessee Opens New Organic Crops Unit
May 15 marked a momentous day for the University of Tennessee AgResearch program. AgResearch's East Tennessee Research and Education Center officially changed the name of its Small Grains Unit to the Organic Crops Unit, and the new unit hosted its first organic crops field tour. - UT Gardens’ Tree Climb Offers Safe, Fun Activity for the Whole Family
Everyone is invited to the UT Gardens on Saturday, June 6, to learn the benefits of tree climbing while ensuring the utmost care of the trees and safety of the climber. Sam Adams from Cortese Tree Specialists, will conduct a special tree climbing class from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The class is appropriate for ages 10 years old and up. - UT Institute of Agriculture Hosts Tobacco, Beef and More Field Day
Scheduled for June 25 at the UT Highland Rim AgResearch and Education Center, the event will highlight new research, management and production strategies for the region’s tobacco and beef cattle producers. - Veterinary College Helps First Graders Avoid Dog Bites
As part of National Dog Bite Prevention Week May 17-23, 2009, the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine and the Knox County School system announced today that every first grader in Knox County has received a free dog bite prevention DVD. - Veterinary Student Club Hosts “Let’s talk about…..” Lecture Series
PAWSitive Impact, a new student club at the University of Tennessee College of Veterinary Medicine (UTCVM), has started a new lecture series; “Let’s Talk About….” where animal experts discuss various topics of concern for pet owners in the community. Tuesday, May 26, 2009, Dr. Joe Bartges will discuss cat and dog nutrition. - Center for Profitable Agriculture Recognized for 10 Years of Service
During a May 12 session of the committee, the State House Agriculture Committee has formally recognized
the University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture for a decade of outstanding service to the
citizens of Tennessee. - Kids Can Explore the Creeping, Crawling, Colorful World of Insects in Bugtussle, USA at the UT Gardens
Join Lady Bugtussle, bug scientist from the UT Institute of Agriculture Entomology and Plant Pathology Department, on Saturday, May 30, from 11 a.m. to noon and from 1 to 2 p.m. at the UT Gardens for an exploration of insects, their habitat, and how they contribute to the wider environment. - UT Scientist a Leader in the National Biomass Conversion Effort
Dr. Joseph J. Bozell, an associate professor in biomass chemistry in the UT Institute of Agriculture Forest Products Center, is among some 700 senior investigators nationwide who will participate in a collection of 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) recently established by the Department of Energy Office of Science. - UT Gardens’ Weekly Books and Blooms Offers Kids Storytelling, Readings,
Crafts and Sprinkler Time
Looking for a fun summer-time event for children of all ages from babies to pre-teens? Check out Books and Blooms at the UT Gardens. - UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for May: Fringetree
Fringetree, or Old Man's Beard, is a beautiful native tree with attractive white flowers that bloom in the spring.
April 2009
- UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for May: Fringetree
Fringetree, or Old Man's Beard, is a beautiful native tree with attractive white flowers that bloom in the spring. - UT Gardens Spring Plant Sale Sure to Delight Gardeners
Spring is in full bloom and so are the plants at the UT Gardens Spring Plant Sale. The sale will be held on Saturday, May 9, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the entrance to the UT Gardens. - Helping Gardens Grow: UT Offers Educational Opportunity for Homeowners and Novice Gardeners
At the UT Institute of Agriculture’s Fruits of the Backyard Field Day, visitors can learn useful tips for both the lawn and the garden. This free educational event takes place on Tuesday, June 16, at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Spring Hill. - UT Agriculture Professor Named to Scholarship Foundation Leadership
Dr. Mark Windham, a Distinguished Professor of Entomology and Plant Pathology at the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture, was recently named the Executive Vice-President of the Sidney B. Meadows Scholarship Endowment Fund. - Tennessee Youth Development Specialist Named
to National 4-H Task Force on Citizenship
UT Extension 4-H Specialist Justin Crowe has been named by the National 4-H Headquarters to be part
of a Citizenship Mission Mandate Task Force.
- Experience Garden Life with Third Tuesday
Tours of the UT Gardens
The UT Gardens is one of the community’s finest treasures and its free Third Tuesday Garden Tours offer Knoxville natives and tourists alike the chance to tour the gardens and learn about some 4,000 annuals, perennials, herbs, tropicals, trees, shrubs, vegetables and ornamental grasses. - UT Recognized for Exceptional Communications Efforts
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture and the UT System Office of Communications won six awards from the Volunteer Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, including three first-place honors.
- UT Beef and Forage Field Day Scheduled for June 11
Cattle management and hay production seminars will be of interest to cattle producers attending the 2009 UT Beef and Forage Field Day. The event is being held on June 11 at the Blount Unit of the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center near Knoxville. - Open House Scheduled at UT College of Veterinary Medicine
The UT College of Veterinary Medicine will hold its thirtieth annual open house Saturday, April 18, from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. The free event will take place on the UT agricultural campus, located on Neyland Drive. - Montgomery County Selected to Pilot Homeowner Landscape Program
Local Extension agents and storm water professionals are teaming up to provide homeowners with the guidance they need to ensure that their yards become beautiful, environmentally friendly and cost effective. - UT Gardens to Host Easter Egg Hunt
The UT Gardens will host an Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 11, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Children 12 and under can join the hunt or other contests for a chance to win prizes and candy! - New Educational Program Offered for Horse Owners
The first UT Extension Master Horse Owner Program for the western region of the state will be offered beginning Thursday, July 9. - UT Program Receives Grant for Animal Therapy Program
A local animal therapy program, HALT, has received a $2,000 grant from the Banfield Charitable Trust to assist troubled teens and unwanted dogs. - UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for April: Virginia bluebell
Virginia bluebell, also called Virginia cowslip or Mertensia virginica, is a North American native perennial that can easily be added to your home landscape. - UT Schedules First Organic Crops Field Tour
The East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Knoxville will present the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture’s first Organic Crops Field Tour on May 15, beginning at 8 a.m.
March 2009
- 2009 UT Institute of Agriculture Field Days Offer
Variety of Educational Opportunities
Raising healthy hardwoods. Producing quality beef. Growing fresh fruits and vegetables in your own backyard. These are just a few of the topics Tennesseans can learn about at the 2009 University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture Field Days. - Agritourism Workshop to Encourage Economic Development
Agritourism entrepreneurs and farmers considering agritourism enterprises are encouraged to attend a special multi-county workshop May 4 in Hohenwald, Tennessee. - Tennessee Enhances Beekeeping Services
The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has made two very important changes to help beekeepers. They can now register their colonies online and sign-up to participate in the UT Beemaster Program. Both changes will help sustain Tennessee’s honeybee population. - UT Gardens in Jackson Named Conifer Reference Garden
The UT Gardens at the West Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center was recently selected as a Conifer Reference Garden by the American Conifer Society. - UTCrops.com Gets Fresh Look
The website devoted to Tennessee’s major field crops has a new design and some added features that researchers say will help the state’s producers better manage their 2009 crops. - First National Conference for Small Food Manufacturers
The first national conference for small food manufacturers throughout the country has been scheduled for April 23-24, 2009, in Lincoln, Nebraska. - UT Plateau Center Announces Spring Heifer and Bull Sale
The University of Tennessee Plateau Research and Education Center will hold its annual spring heifer and bull sale on Friday, March 27, starting at 10:00 a.m. CDT.
- Direct Farm Marketing Featured at March Workshops
To help farmers overcome challenges associated with directly marketing their products, a series of educational workshops is being offered by the Center for Profitable Agriculture. Workshops begin in March. - Junior Bulls Now Ready for the Farm
More than 60 purebred Angus bulls will be sold at the University of Tennessee Junior Bull Test Sale held on Thursday March 12 at noon at the Middle Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center.
- UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for March: Japanese Cornel Dogwood
When you hear of dogwood, most of us think of our native flowering dogwood tree (Cornus florida). But there are about 30-50 species of dogwood. One of the author's favorites is the Japanese Cornel Dogwood.
February 2009
- UT AgResearch Planning to Restructure Dairy
and Middle Tennessee Research and Education Centers
University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture officials appeared before the Marshall County Commission February 23, 2009, to affirm continued support for agricultural research programs at the Dairy AgResearch and Education Center in Lewisburg while at the same time informing the Commission of the intent to restructure the facility’s current operations. - “Partners of the Cherokee National Forests” Donate to UT Institute of
Agriculture To Save Hemlock Trees
UTIA announced that the non-profit group “Partners of the Cherokee National Forest” is donating $5,075 to the Lindsay Young Beneficial Insects Laboratory at the East Tennessee AgResearch and Education Center in Knoxville. This is part of an overall commitment of $20,000 made by the “Partners” in 2006. - UT Institute of Agriculture Announces Intent to Close Milan 4-H Center
Milan AgResearch Administrative Building Put on Hold
Budget constraints have caused the UT Institute of Agriculture to develope plans to close the Buford Ellington 4-H Center in Milan by June 30, 2009, and plans for a new administrative facility for the Milan UT AgResearch and Education Center have been put on hold. - UT Bull Test Sale Offers Lessons in Beef Management: Next Sale is March 12
One of the top earners at the annual UT Senior Bull Test Sale garnered $4000, an example of success from one of the state’s long-running beef cattle improvement programs. - Tennessee’s Tree Improvement Program Turns 50
The University of Tennessee Tree Improvement Program took root in 1959 and has flourished into a wide-ranging research and education effort that operates in cooperation with the Tennessee Division of Forestry.
- University of Tennessee Research Foundation Recognizes Patent Recipients
The University of Tennessee honored 20 men and women who were recently issued patents by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) for their discoveries that have transferred technology into the lives and lifeways of the people of Tennessee, the region and nation. The scientists honored included seven researchers from UT’s Institute of Agriculture, along with 13 UT Knoxville scientists.
January 2009
- UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for February: Yucca!
Although thoughts of spring are creeping into all of our minds, let’s not get ahead of ourselves seasonally. A plant with superb winter interest may sound like a killjoy, but yucca looks great year round. - New Program for Horse Owners: First Class is February 12
The Master Horse Owner Program, a comprehensive educational course on all aspects of equine health and management, is now available throughout the state.
- UT Launches Organic and Sustainable Crop Production Initiative and Web Site
A new organic crops production initiative of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture may have broad appeal for commercial producers, home gardeners and consumers alike. - Augé Appointed Head of Tennessee’s
Plant Sciences Department
Dr. Robert (Oz) Augé has been appointed as head of the Department of Plant Sciences in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources.
- Center for Profitable Agriculture Welcomes “GROW-10" PROGRAM Coordinator
Amy Ladd has been welcomed as the newest member of the Center for Profitable Agriculture (CPA) staff at their Spring Hill headquarters.
- Want to Connect with Friends from Your Youth?
Try the Tennessee 4-H Alumni Web Site
If you grew up a 4-H’er in Tennessee, you’ve probably got great memories and made some lifetime friends. Now you can reconnect with your 4-H past online. A 4-H Alumni Web site is available where past and present members can meet to promote the organization and encourage alumni involvement.
- New Conference Targets Women in Small Businesses and Agriculture
Problems faced by small, women-owned businesses, particularly agriculturally based enterprises, will be the focus of a new conference being conducted by University of Tennessee Extension experts. “Homefront to Heartland: Financial Education for Women in Small Business and Agriculture,” will be presented on the UT Institute of Agriculture campus in Knoxville on Saturday, March 21, 2009, beginning at 9 a.m.
- Learn to Make Your Business a Destination at Agritourism Conference
Business owners will have the opportunity to hear nationally known business consultant Jon Schallert during the 2009 Agritourism Conference – Cultivating Farm Revenue. The conference is scheduled for January 26 and 27 in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
- UT Gardens’ Plant of the Month for January: Red Twig Dogwood
Winter landscapes are often bleak, but that is easily remedied. Of the many plants that can brighten up cold gray days, among my favorites is a much underused group of plants referred to as red twig dogwoods.