A total of $175k is available for awards ranging $10k - $25k
By Ollie Cultrara, VT Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) is now accepting applications through the Multi-Business Dairy Agritourism Grant Program. This funding will support the development and promotion of agritourism activities designed to raise awareness and consumption of regionally produced dairy products in order to elevate regional dairy businesses. Dairy producers, processors, and producer associations in Vermont and the greater Northeast region are eligible to apply.
Agritourism activities can include tours, workshops, special events, and more. It's all about finding creative ways for producers to connect with their communities, visitors, and customers!
For example, cheesemakers in Central New York (CNY) have teamed up to organize an annual festival celebrating regional cheesemakers as well as other gourmet food and beverage producers. Cheesemakers also launched the CNY Cheese Trail to invite visitors and potential buyers to connect directly with where the cheese is made. In 2021, a NE-DBIC Multi-Business Dairy Agritourism Grant bolstered these volunteer-run initiatives with $15,000 in funds to promote the festival and trail through a professional marketing campaign. As a result, the festival saw a 30% increase in attendance, with most vendors selling out. In addition, most CNY Cheese Trail members reported a range of 20-30% increase in traffic and sales.
To be eligible for grant funds, projects must actively engage a minimum of three Northeast dairy farmers or processors in the grant’s agritourism activities and must promote awareness and consumption of regionally produced dairy products.
Awards will range from $10,000 to $25,000 with a 25% cash or in-kind match requirement. A total of $165,000 in funds is available in this grant round. Applications are due April 7, 2022, at 2:00 PM ET.
To learn more and apply, visit: agriculture.vermont.gov/dbic/activities/multi-business-dairy-agritourism-grant
Questions? Contact Kathryn Donovan at kathryn.donovan@vermont.gov or 802-522-7642.
Seeking Service Providers for Grazing, Forage, and Alternative Farm Management Technical Assistance Cohorts
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) seeks multiple technical assistance (TA) providers to offer cohort-based TA for dairy farmers considering transitioning their farm to a grass-based production model, enhancing the production of home-grown forages, and/or utilizing alternative farm management strategies not typically found in the U.S. dairy sector.
Service providers will recruit localized cohorts of at least five Northeast dairy farms to participate in on-farm group and individual business and technical assistance over 18-24 months. Once a farmer has developed a plan with the TA provider, they will be eligible to apply for grant funds to help implement and sustain farm management improvements.
This is the fourth round of cohort-based TA contracts through NE-DBIC with cohorts already underway in five states. This round will prioritize development of several cohorts to directly serve dairy farmers on one or more of the following topics:
- Increased Grazing Quality or Quantity: Helping farmers move along the continuum of grazing, improving quality and/or quantity of grass-based herd and pasture management through forage health, herd nutritional needs, and supplies. Participating farms can be conventional or organic and of any scale; farms are not required to adopt 100% forage-based systems.
- Home-Grown Forage Enhancement: Supporting farmers in increasing their homegrown forage capacity. TA can address topics such as pasture management, forage quality, storage conditions, and nutrition.
- Alternative Farm Management: Expanding training on subjects outside the realm of standard U.S. dairy operations. Topics of particular interest to NE-DBIC include seasonal and/or alternative milking schedules, transitioning tie-stall barns into freestalls or bedded pack facilities while retaining access to pasture, sharemilking/alternative ownership and management structures, and group housing for calf-rearing.
A total of $500,000 in funding is available for several project contracts ranging from $75,000 - $150,000.
Proposals will be accepted until March 29, 2022 at 4:30 PM ET. For more information, visit agriculture.vermont.gov/transition-grazing-cohort-ta-contract. Questions? Email kathryn.donovan@vermont.gov by March 8, 2022 at 4:30 PM.
Last Call: Dairy Product Packaging Innovation Grant
Pre-applications for the Dairy Product Packaging Innovation Grant Program from the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) are due March 17, 2022. This funding will support modernized dairy product packaging initiatives that prioritize sustainability, scalability, and marketability with awards ranging $75,000 to $350,000. Eligible applicants include Northeast dairy processors and producer associations as well as packaging manufacturers, Northeast supply chain businesses (distributors, aggregators, retailers, etc.), and educational/research institutions that partner with at least one Northeast dairy processor or producer association.
Learn more at agriculture.vermont.gov/dbic/activities/dairy-product-packaging-innovation-grant
Dairy Farmers Invited on Grazing Learning Trip to Missouri
Looking to increase or improve grazing for your dairy herd? Farmers and technical assistance providers are invited to travel with the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center to Missouri for three days of field-based grazing education in mid-May. Learn from experienced farmers about their own transitions to innovative grass-based production systems and a variety of business models common to New Zealand. NE-DBIC will provide lodging and reimburse farmers for up to $1,000 of travel and other related costs. Interested in coming? Contact Kathryn Donovan at kathryn.donovan@vermont.gov or 802-522-7642.