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(KNOXVILLE, Tenn.) - Leaders of the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture toured upper East Tennessee on their third annual road trip on October 27-29.

The UTIA In Touch with Tennessee tour was designed to strengthen existing relationships with the Tennessee agroforestry industry and the state's network of veterinary medicine practitioners, said Dr. Jack Britt, UT vice president for agriculture. "We visited businesses and organizations that are related to what we do in the institute. These on-site contacts help us to better understand the needs of the constituents we serve, and they underscore the importance of working together on projects in which there is a mutual interest."

The 2003 tour included visits to farms, small businesses and veterinary medicine practices in Hawkins, Sullivan, Washington, Greene, Hamblen, Grainger and Jefferson counties. Industry visits included the TWRA Fish Hatchery in Grainger County, Eastman Chemical and Weyerhaeuser in Kingsport and John Deere in Greeneville.

The UTIA leaders also visited East Tennessee State University in Johnson City and Walters State Community College in Morristown. Lunch and dinner meetings with agricultural and community leaders rounded out the agenda.

Previous tours have taken the UTIA leaders to West and Middle Tennessee, with about a dozen stops in each region. In addition to Britt, participants on this year's tour included top administrators from the four units that comprise the UT Institute of Agriculture: Dr. Michael Blackwell, dean of the College of Veterinary Medicine; Dr. Mary Albrecht, associate dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources; Dr. Tom Klindt, associate dean of the Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station; and Dr. Charles Norman, dean of the Agricultural Extension Service. Sharon Littlepage, director of external relations, and Mike Keel, director of services, also accompanied the group.

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Contact: Patricia McDaniels, 865-974-7141