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Dairy Business Viability & Technical Assistance Grants Awarded

April 12, 2022
A person in a navy blue polo shirt, hair net, and rubber gloves stirring milk in a stainless steel vat. Other equipment and controls are behind them.

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) is pleased to announce the award of Dairy Business Viability & Technical Assistance Grants to eight businesses and organizations in the Northeast. This grant program supports coordinated technical assistance projects that enhance dairy farmer and processor business operations and strengthen market opportunities. 

A total of $398,143 was awarded in grants ranging $18,000 to $100,000. The grantees will undertake a range of technical assistance projects. Grantees were required to match at least 25 percent of the awarded funds with either in-kind or cash funds.   

  • Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, VT was awarded $18,000 to hire experienced technical assistance providers to work with eight small dairy farms in northern Vermont and New Hampshire on production efficiency, herd health, and milk quality. 
  • The Center for Dairy Excellence in Harrisburg, PA will use their $65,000 grant to fund technical assistance providers to help small-scale, farm-based value-added dairy businesses in Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey with business development. 
  • Northwest Regional Planning Commission in St Albans, VT was granted $27,000 on behalf of the Healthy Roots Collaborative to provide a range of technical services to Vermont dairy farmers and processors. 
  • Jasper Hill Creamery in Greensboro, VT will use $32,363 to work with food safety, business, and legal advisors to write a milk purchasing contract and create tools for other cheesemakers and dairy farmers to write their own contracts. 
  • Local Goods Gathered in Sebago, ME was awarded $100,000 to expand their food brokerage services by piloting a business model that provides customized technical assistance to Maine creameries. 
  • Maine Cheese Guild in Sidney, ME received $30,000 to hire a part-time executive director to lead educational and technical assistance opportunities for the cheesemaking and dairy producing community. 
  • Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association in Unity, ME was awarded $41,230 to provide technical assistance to Maine dairy farms for production and business needs resulting from New England dairy market shifts.    
  • Vermont Cheese Council in Waitsfield, VT will invest $84,550 in expanded educational and professional development programming for cheesemakers.