The information below has been supplied by dairy marketers and other industry organizations. It has not been edited, verified or endorsed by Hoard’s Dairyman.
Earlier this week, U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) helped pass a spending package in Congress that allocates $22 million in funding for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives in 2021.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), is one of three centers that are funded by the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives. DBIA will be submitting a proposal in 2021 to secure additional funding as a result of this latest budget allocation.
“In these challenging times, we must continue to focus on innovation and assist the growth of artisan dairy products, as they will add-value that can be returned back to our dairy farmers,” said John Lucey, CDR Director.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance supports dairy farmers and processors interested in developing value-added dairy products, farm diversification projects, and/or developing an export program. DBIA provides grants to dairy farmers and processors in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin, and offers free workshops (webinars) and resources to help grow the dairy industry.
“This is great news for the dairy Industry in the region,” said Tom Guerin, CDR Research Program Manager. “The initiative provides a much-needed boost for dairy businesses and farmers seeking to add value to their milk. Working with our collaborators across the 5 states as well as the other centers in Tennessee and Vermont, we are able to share experiences, ideas and learnings for everyone’s benefit.”
Sign Up for DBIA Updates: Sign up to receive email updates from DBIA, including grant information and other news – https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/dbia-updates-sign-up-form
More information: Announcements regarding DBIA grants and trainings can be found at https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/dbia and www.WisCheeseMakers.org.
