The Southeast Dairy Youth Retreat
This year’s retreat is in Statesville, North Carolina July 9-12, 2023. Youth ages 8 to 18 interested in the dairy industry may attend. The registration packet is linked below. Turn in your completed packet to your county leader or the Georgia coordinator, Dr. Jillian Bohlen at jfain@uga.edu. The forms must be signed by your county agent or FFA teacher. Although a youth may register directly with North Carolina, they are then responsible for their own transportation and chaperones.
The registration cost is $260 and covers chaperones, transportation, lodging, meals, and activities while at the retreat. If financial assistance is needed, the Georgia financial aid form is below. It should be submitted to the Georgia Dairy Youth Foundation.
The Georgia coordinator is Dr. Jillian Bohlen. Turn your forms, linked below, into her or reach out with any questions you may have. Her email is jfain@uga.edu. For updates follow https://www.facebook.com/southeastdairyyouthretreat.
Focusing on a variety of dairy topics, the trip provides the youth with the opportunity to build teamwork skills, gain a broader understanding of the dairy industry and form lasting friendships with youth from different states. Approximately 100 youth attend from Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia.
Workshops about dairy cattle reproduction, dairy cattle nutrition, milk marketing, dairy product processing and nutrition, calf care, dairy judging, and more, are taught by dairy industry professionals and university professors from the host states. These workshops are hands-on, for example, examining the reproductive tract of a cow.
Several dairy farms graciously open their farms to the youth for visits, with the owners and managers explaining their farms’ unique features. This provides the youth with a more in-depth understanding of the many different types of dairy farms, the advantages and disadvantages of each type, and how and why they are developed for different regions.
In addition to learning opportunities, the dairy youth are treated to water parks, amusement parks, zoos, and concerts that make the trip a fun and social event. The Georgia Dairy Youth Foundation helps defray the transportation expenses for Georgia dairy youth who participate in the Southeast Dairy Youth Retreat and helps pay for program expenses when the retreat is held in Georgia.
The dairy camp is a tremendous opportunity to participate in a variety of activities including, farm tours, hands-on workshops, and recreational events to name a few. Contact your state’s advisor to gain more information and possibly enjoy the retreat yourself.
