WI Dairy Business Builder Grant Program

This grant program is targeted at small-to-medium size farmers or processors. Projects should be aimed at diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, enhancing dairy by-products or export programs.

Eligibility

Eligible Applicants:
a. Must represent a new or existing dairy farm or dairy manufacturing or processing facility in Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.
b. Must have an EIN and be in good standing with the IRS at the time of the award announcement.
c. Must have no immediate family members working for the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) or the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) or serving on the grant review committee.
d. Must demonstrate that this proposed grant project represents a different project or a different phase, sales stream, etc., if the applicant has previously received grant funding from the DBIA.

Applicant proposals must meet at least one of the stated DBIA goals:
a. Dairy farm diversification through dairy product development, specialization, packaging and/or marketing strategies;
b. Creation of value-added dairy products;
c. Enhancement of the value of a dairy commodity or by-product through product development or alternate use; or
d. Creation or expansion of a program for exporting dairy products.

Additionally, milk used in proposed grant projects to produce a beverage fluid milk product must meet Grade A requirements.

All projects must meet all relevant state and federal requirements.

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