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The University of Tennessee could start construction of a $12 million dairy research facility in Blount County within months.

"We are in the final stages of finalizing the contract for construction of the facility at that site hopefully within the next few months," said John Hodges, director of the UT East Tennessee Research and Education Center.

Hodges made the remarks Wednesday during a weed control tour at the center's Blount Unit on Singleton Station Road.

Plans call for the university to begin dairy operations at its Little River Unit, located off Ellejoy Road, in Walland. Once a contract is awarded it will take about 20 months for the facility to be built.

The dairy is expected to accommodate up to 200 milking cows at maximum capacity. Much of the rich bottomland at the farm will be planted in feed crops. The facility will employ about 12 to 15 workers.

The facility will be one of several research units operated by the UT East Tennessee Research and Education Center, which is part of the overall Tennessee Agricultural Experiment Station system. The university bought the 500-acre Walland site in 1999. The Tennessee General Assembly approved the $12 million to build the dairy complex in 2005.

Farmers wanted

In other news discussed during the tour, the University of Tennessee is looking for a few good farmers -- to plant switchgrass. Switchgrass, along with corn cobs, will be used as feedstock in the state's first demonstration-scale cellulosic ethanol biorefinery, which is under construction in Vonore.

Ken Goddard, UT Extension biofuels specialist, said the Blount County is currently home to two switchgrass producers, but UT is looking for more farmers in East Tennessee to provide switchgrass for its Biofuels Initiative.

"It's something we're really excited about," he said. "We start our round three of contract meetings (in August). We will be meeting with potential growers who want to plant switchgrass next year. We are looking for an additional 3,000 acres."

Goddard said that switchgrass is workable with tools that many farmers already have. "People who have been in the hay business have the traditional equipment to put up switchgrass," he said.

Breaking ground

Genera Energy, the private company established by UT to partner with DuPont Danisco, is establishing a pilot-scale biorefinery and research and development facility for cellulosic ethanol. DuPont Danisco and Genera Energy broke ground on the facility in 2008 at Niles Ferry Industrial Park in Monroe County. The state has made a $70.5 million commitment to the program over a five-year period, according to UT.

In June, 38 East Tennessee farmers were accepted into UT's 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.

For more information about the Tennessee Biofuels Initiative, visit the UT Office of Bioenergy Programs Web site at www.UTbioenergy.org.