Conference History

The Pick TN Conference began in 2016 to fulfill the need for more educational and networking opportunities for Tennessee farmers. Backed by the TN Department of Agriculture, the UT Extension Institute of Agriculture, and UT’s Center for Profitable Agriculture, six statewide producer associations came together to plan the first conference that was held in Knoxville, including the TN Agritourism Association, the TN Organic Growers Association, the TN Flower Growers Association, the TN Farm Winegrowers Association, the TN Fruit and Vegetable Association, and the TN Farmers Market Association.

Since that first conference, we became a 501(c)(3) and added three more groups to the conference: the TN Beekeepers Association, the TN Farmer Veteran Coalition, and the TN Christmas Tree Growers Association. These nine groups meet monthly to plan the yearly conference that is now taking place in Middle Tennessee each January/February.

2025-2026 Board

President:
Tonya Keller
TN Agritourism Association

Treasurer:
Robbie Knight
TN Christmas Tree Growers Association

Conference Managing Director:
Zachary Oxford

Recording Secretary:
Mikenna Stacy

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Board Members

Ron Bridges
TN Farmer Veteran Coalition

Cindy Delvin
TN Organic Growers Association

Lee Greenberg
TN Organic Growers Association

Tonya Keller
TN Agritourism Association

Robbie Knight
TN Christmas Tree Growers Association

Tim Lankford
TN Beekeepers Association

Brad Nelson
TN Christmas Tree Growers Association

Joshua Oaks
TN Agritourism Association

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Advisory Board

Melissa Bryant
TN Farm Bureau

Patrick Ellis
TN Association of Farmers Markets

Sarah Emery
TN Dept. of Agriculture

Commissioner Andy Holt
TN Dept. of Agriculture

Deputy Commissioner Ryan King
TN Dept. of Agriculture

Megan Leffew
TN Extension Office

David Lockwood
TN Extension Office

Kacey Troup
TN Dept. of Agriculture

Matthew Wade
TN Dept. of Agriculture

Annette Wszelaki
TN Extension Office