Nearly four dozen dairy businesses across the Midwest have earned grants through the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance. DBIA is a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association.
In this latest round, the program saw funding requests totaling $5.8 million – nearly double the amount of available funding. In total, DBIA has selected 44 grant applicants to receive funding, including five companies for its Dairy Industry Impact grants and 39 small to medium-sized farms and processors for Dairy Business Builder grants.
“We are delighted to be able to assist the growth of our regional cheese plants and small dairy businesses; once again farmsteads were an important focus,” says CDR Director John Lucey. “We are also happy to help companies with their exports and sustainability challenges.”
Dairy Industry Impact – Meet The Wisconsin Winners
The Dairy Industry Impact grant program helps dairy businesses develop an idea or tackle a challenge with the potential to advance the dairy industry as a whole. The most recent program solicited sustainability or export-related projects.
Five companies will receive more than $300,000 in reimbursable grants.
Blakesville Creamery LLC
This cheesemaker plans to export 12 of their goat and sheep cheeses to Australia by redesigning labels to comply with Australian regulations. This project aims to increase sales via exporting and contribute to the international visibility of American-made artisan cheese.
Organic Valley – CROPP Cooperative
Organic Valley is conducting a feasibility study to explore alternative wastewater pretreatment options. This project aims to reduce Biochemical Oxygen Demand discharges, support increased butter production, and achieve sustainability goals.
Rosewood Dairy, Inc. DBA Renard’s Cheese
Rosewood Dairy is installing Clean-In-Place systems to automate equipment cleaning and recycling water. This project aims to conserve 3,000 gallons of water daily, improve sanitation, and increase workplace safety at their processing facility in Algoma.
Dairy Business Builder – Meet The Wisconsin Winners
The Dairy Business Builder grant program is targeted at small-to-medium size farmers or processors that are diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, enhancing dairy by-products, or creating or expanding export programs.
In total, 39 dairy businesses will be receiving grants worth more than $3.3 million. Forty-six percent of the awardees are farmsteads, and 10 of the 11 states in DBIA’s service region are represented.
Arena Cheese
This cheesemaker is expanding its whey processing capabilities to support the growth of their business partner. The project aims to increase processing capacity and support additional revenue streams.
Birch Point Distillery
Birch Point Distillery is building a facility to produce spirits from whey from nearby Hidden Springs Creamery. The project includes bottling equipment and an educational marketing campaign to boost sales and increase whey utilization by nearly 20,000 gallons in three years.
Blakesville Creamery LLC
This company is diversifying their product line to include sheep’s milk cheeses and expanding distribution to larger retail stores. The project includes redesigning packaging, professional photography, and updating their website to support market expansion.
Brunkow Cheese of Wisconsin
The grant will support a project that is scaling up production of the Wisconsin company’s cheese by purchasing additional equipment for their processing facility. The project aims to increase production and create new jobs.
Crave Brothers Farmstead Cheese
This Wisconsin company is diversifying its product lineup to meet the growing interest in new and exciting specialty cheeses. This expansion includes investing in advanced equipment and offering targeted training to maintain exceptional quality and consistency throughout production.
Dairy State Cheese LLC
Dairy State Cheese is expanding its whey plant in Rudolph to process increased milk volumes and meet growing market demand. The project aims to double sales and support local dairy farms.
Decatur Dairy
This cheesemaker is launching a new product by purchasing new equipment. The project aims to increase cheese production and revenue, benefiting both the dairy and local farmers.
Freshpack
Freshpack is expanding one of its plants to double production capacity for cheese spreads and snack packs, enhancing operational efficiency through automation. This project will create additional jobs within the next five years, positively impacting Wisconsin’s dairy industry.
Fromage Spa
This business is creating a retail space and cheese manufacturing facility to sell products locally and support small cheesemakers in Wisconsin. The project aims to generate increased sales in the first year and create multiple new jobs.
Hidden Springs Creamery LLC
Hidden Springs Creamery in Wisconsin is expanding its capacity to meet larger order commitments by purchasing freezing and handling equipment. The project aims to increase milk processing, cheese sales, and overall profitability.
Highfield Farm Creamery
This Wisconsin cheesemaker is adding a brine tank to produce various brined cheeses. The project aims to increase output and meet customer demand for smaller unit cheeses.
Hill Valley Dairy LLC
Hill Valley Dairy of Wisconsin is expanding production of their original cheese, Luna, to meet national market demand. The project includes purchasing equipment to increase capacity and improve efficiencies, with plans to grow sales significantly.
Holland’s Family Cheese, LLC
This Wisconsin business is creating a fulfillment center to improve packaging and shipping operations for its Marieke Gouda products. The project aims to meet the growing order sizes from major retailers and increase production efficiency.
Organic Valley – CROPP Cooperative
The cooperative aims to scale up butter production and improve efficiencies by modernizing preventative control requirements related to refrigeration and integrating custom software upgrades. This project is expected to both increase revenue and introduce cost savings in the first year.
Pine River Pre-Pack, Inc.
The company is upgrading its packaging equipment to handle the increased demand for its preservative-free cheese spreads. The project aims to improve production efficiency and meet customer delivery expectations.
Two Guernsey Girls Creamery LLC
The creamery is expanding into A2 ice cream production to meet customer demand for dairy-sensitive products. The project includes purchasing equipment and hiring additional staff to increase profits and brand recognition.
Union Star Cheese Factory
Union Star Cheese is expanding its product line and production capabilities in Wisconsin to meet growing demand, focusing on mozzarella string cheese and cheddar cheese curds. The project includes purchasing equipment to improve efficiency and product quality.
