A new round of Dairy Business Builder grants administered by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) is open for small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, manufacturers, and processors in 11 Midwestern states. Businesses in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin may apply for the funding. The funding is administered by the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA).
An informational webinar is hosted on the DBIA website. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. (CT) on October 23 Successful applicants will be notified by mid-December.
Application materials for the Dairy Business Builder and Dairy Industry Impact grants are available online at cdr.wisc.edu/dbia. The reimbursement grants of up to $100,000 each aim to support recipients in diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, enhancing dairy byproducts, and creating or enhancing dairy export programs.
The DBIA is supported by funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was created in the 2018 federal Farm Bill. Since then, the DBIA has administered over $13 million to dairy farms and businesses within its 11-state service area. The program also offers technical assistance to dairy farmers and processors in participating states.
