WASHINGTON, June 25, 2024

-The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) todayannounced $12 million in grant funding is available to support processing capacityexpansion, on-farm improvements, and technical assistance services to producers throughthe Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI). The funds will be awarded noncompetitivelyto the DBI Initiatives at the

California State University Fresno; the University of Tennessee, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets; and the University of Wisconsin

.Throughthe Request for Applications (RFA), the initiatives will have an opportunity to submitproposals for this year’s funding.

Today’s announcement was made in Brodhead, Wis., by USDA Under Secretary JennyLester Moffitt, who was joined by Randy Romanski, Secretary of the Wisconsin Departmentof Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection. Under Secretary Moffitt highlighted theimportance of the initiatives and their contributions to the U.S. dairy industry.

“The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives utilize a unique approach of providing bothtechnical assistance and subawards to small and mid-sized dairy businesses,” said UnderSecretary Moffitt. “Through this, the businesses are able to diversify markets and income,develop higher value uses for their milk products, and achieve higher returns.”

Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives provide valuable technical assistance and subgrants todairy farmers and businesses across their regions, supporting them with business plandevelopment, marketing, and branding, as well as, increasing access to innovativeproduction and processing techniques to support the development of value-added products.Since its inception in 2019, the initiatives have invested over $64 million and awarded over600 subrecipients in 40 states to provide valuable support to dairy businesses in thedevelopment, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products.

Dairy farmers and businesses interested in the program must contact the appropriateinitiative to be considered for direct technical assistance or a subaward. AMS encourages applications to identify activities that benefit smaller farms and ranches, new and beginningfarmers and ranchers, underserved producers, veteran producers, low-income, and minorityindividuals, and underserved communities. AMS also encourages partnerships withminority-serving institutions of higher education. For projects intending to serve theseentities, applicants should engage and involve those beneficiaries when developing projectsand applications.

Application Information

The Request for Applications (RFA), information about grant eligibility, and a list ofpreviously funded projects are available on the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives webpage. Applications must be submitted electronically through www.grants.gov by 11:59p.m. ET on August 27, 2024.

USDA promotes climate-resilient landscapes and rural economic systems, including tools tosupport agriculture, forests, grazing lands, and rural communities. AMS encouragesapplicants to consider including goals and activities related to reducing and stabilizing thelevels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere or adapting to the alreadyoccurring climate change in their project’s design and implementation.

For additional information, contact IPPGrants@usda.gov

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USDA touches the lives of all Americans each day in so many positive ways. In the Biden-Harris Administration, USDA is transforming America’s food system with a greater focus onmore resilient local and regional food production, fairer markets for all producers, ensuringaccess to safe, healthy and nutritious food in all communities, building new markets andstreams of income for farmers and producers using climate smart food and forestrypractices, making historic investments in infrastructure and clean energy capabilities in ruralAmerica, and committing to equity across the Department by removing systemic barriersand building a workforce more representative of America. To learn more, visit

www.usda.gov

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