The U.S. Department of Agriculture will invest $20 million into the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives to support efforts at three universities and a food and marketing agency.
"These awards will expand the scope of the Dairy Business Innovation program and provide much-needed support to small dairy farms and businesses as they continue to recover from the pandemic," USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Moffitt said in a Nov. 10 release. "In addition to initiatives in the Southeast, Northeast and Midwest, a new initiative for the Pacific Coast is funded, led by California State University Fresno."
Through the USDA's $20 million support, the Dairy Business Innovation earmarked $18.4 million to the University of Tennessee, Vermont Agency for Food and Marketing, and the University of Wisconsin. The remaining $1.8 million went to California State University Fresno.
Established in 2019, Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives have assisted the nation's dairy farmers and businesses with business plan development, marketing and branding in addition to increasing access to innovative production and processing techniques to support the development of value-added products, agriculture officials said.
The University of Tennessee's Center for Profitable Agriculture educates producers on starting or expanding a dairy business.
The University of Wisconsin's Center for Dairy Research and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association formed a partnership to work with regional collaborators across five Midwest states.
The Vermont Agency for Food and Marketing's Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative focuses on direct assistance to farmers, consumer engagement and value-added production and processing in the Northeast.
California State University Fresno will oversee a new collaborative effort called the Pacific Coast Coalition Dairy Business Innovation Initiative will support dairy businesses in California, Washington, and Oregon.
"These DBI initiatives provide the dairy industry with additional capacity and expertise that will go beyond immediate assistance and set the stage for a more secure future," Moffitt said.
