Dairy Business Innovation Alliance
A new round of Dairy Business Builder grants administered by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) opened on February 20, 2023 for small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, manufacturers, and processors in 11 Midwestern states. Businesses in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin may apply for the funding. The reimbursement grants of up to $100,000 each aim to support recipients in diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, enhancing dairy byproducts, and creating or enhancing dairy export programs. Application materials for the Dairy Business Builder grants are available online at cdr.wisc.edu/dbia. Applications are due by 5:00 p.m. (CT) on April 13. Successful applicants will be notified by May 19.
News
Prepare Now to Apply for Dairy Business Builder Grants
DBIA to Award Nearly $4M in Grants to 41 Midwest Dairy Businesses
DBIA May Updates
New! Food Safety Resources Page
DBIA has pulled together some key food safety resources and tips for entrepreneurs! Please check out link below and let me know if there are any additional resources we could provide! The CDR Dairy Safety and Quality Coordinator, Alex O'Brien, is also happy to answer any additional questions you may have.
The resources include audit templates, links to certification and training courses, a dairy recall tracker and more.
For more information, please see: https://www.cdr.wisc.edu/dbia-food-safety
Dairy Food Safety Alliance Tour & Hybrid Meeting: May 30, 2024
Save the date to join the Dairy Food Safety Alliance on Thursday, May 30 for a tour of Henning's Cheese, practical presentations on the latest in food safety research and regulatory practices, and a chance to connect with your peers in dairy processing.
The Alliance, a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), will offer three registration options for the meeting:
In-Person: Tour, Lunch & Meeting (30 person limit) - 9:30 a.m.
In-Person: Lunch & Meeting - Registration, 11:00 a.m. & Lunch, 11:30 a.m.
Virtual - 12:00 p.m.
See the WCMA event page for more information: https://www.wischeesemakersassn.org/events/dairy-food-safety-alliance-may-2024
DBIA Grant Timelines
Applications from the Dairy Business Builder Spring 2024 grant cycle are currently under review- applicants will be contacted by late May and results will be announced in June.
The next cycle of Dairy Business Builder Fall 2024 and Dairy Industry Impact Fall 2024 (specific topic TBD) grants will open in late August 2024. Stay tuned for the updated application instructions and webinar date!