By Katie Spring, Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) is excited to announce the selected recipients of the Dairy Farm Improvement & Modernization Grant. This grant funds a wide range of projects that prioritize long-term farm viability, climate, and economic resilience for dairy farms. In this inaugural funding round, 25 farms were selected for awards across seven states, with total program funding of $1,583,331.
The projects selected for funding include incorporating technologies like robotic manure scrapers to improve herd health and comfort, modernizing milking parlors for increased labor and energy efficiencies, and improving forage with sorghum as a climate-smart alternative to corn silage. The range of projects are connected in their goals to promote healthier livestock and environmental conditions while improving the daily work of farmers and their employees.
Ten of the selected farms are in Vermont. Current and former farmer participants from NE-DBIC funded Technical Assistance cohorts received priority for a portion of funds from this grant. Those cohort members are noted with an asterisk:
- Ackermann Dairy
- Bouchard Family Dairy of Vermont
- Covered Bridge Farm of Vermont*
- Fort Waite Farm of Vermont
- Harrison’s Homegrown of Vermont
- Kingdom Creamery of Vermont
- Riverview Farm of Vermont*
- The Farm at Wheeler Mountain of Vermont
- Tups Crossing Farm of Vermont
- Williams Farm of Vermont*
This grant will open again in November 2024. Learn more about the grant and the selected awardees’ projects at bit.ly/farm-improvement-awards