The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC), hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets, provides support to dairy businesses through projects that promote the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products. The NE-DBIC serves an eleven-state region, which includes Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. The NE-DBIC investment and project strategy uplifts innovation and resiliency for regional production of dairy products. Key projects center dairy farms and processors, providing additional support through market research and technical assistance.
To date, $38.77 million has been awarded to the NE-DBIC for projects extending through 2026. More than half of all federal funding awarded for the NE-DBIC is granted directly to dairy businesses. Past and current projects have offered health and safety training, marketing strategies, grazing transition support, technical assistance, community networks, and industry training to project recipients and interested region constituents. The NE-DBIC is one of four regional USDA Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) in the nation.
