Dunedin will host the South Island Dairy Event next year for the first time in the event's 14-year history.
The annual event aims to help South Island dairy industry participants evaluate and apply knowledge and technology to their business.
It normally alternates between Canterbury and Southland each June and was scheduled to be held at Stadium Southland in Invercargill.
However, the rebuilding of the stadium, after last year's roof collapse, was taking longer than anticipated and it was decided to shift the event to the University of Otago, event chairman David Holdaway said.
Milton dairy farmer Brangka Munan, who leads the South Island Dairy Event committee, said the theme will be "people, perception, pride", three recurring themes that kept cropping up as the organising committee brainstormed the programme of workshops.
"People are such an important part of the dairy industry. Ask any dairy farmer what the toughest part of the business is to get right and the answer most times will be 'managing people'. Cows and grass are the easy part.
"And perception - is dairying the job of last resort or the preferred career choice for our young school-leavers?
"Perception really is reality, and as dairy farmers, we need to understand what practical things we can do to address the sometimes less-than-positive perceptions of dairying in the wider community," he said.
Pride was something dairy farmers felt was in short supply in dairy today. "Maybe it's just a part of the Kiwi psyche, but we're not good at broadcasting our successes," he said.
The event, which is a joint venture between South Island dairy farmers, Lincoln University and DairyNZ, will be held from June 25-27. Registrations open in March.