The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), which is a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), is giving over $1 million to dairy farm and processor entrepreneurs and existing dairy businesses. Altogether, 26 dairy entrepreneurs from five states (Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin) were chosen to receive up to $50,000 each. There were 12 recipients from Wisconsin, totaling $550,000.
“The 52 applications we received this round were very competitive,” said Vic Grassman, DBIA. “The total request for grants was approximately $2.3 million, and we saw a significant increase in the quality of the business planning and budgeting within the applications.”
“We are delighted to be able to help our dairy farmers diversify, to assist the growth of farmstead operations, and to encourage more value-added products,” said John Lucey, CDR Director.
The 2021 DBIA spring grant recipients:
- Associated Milk Producers, Inc – Minnesota
- Berrybrook Organics – South Dakota
- Carr Valley Cheese Co. – Wisconsin
- Cider Farm Brands, LLC – Wisconsin
- Cinnamon Ridge, Inc. – Iowa
- Concept Processing, LLC – Minnesota
- Country View Dairy, LLC – Iowa
- Deerland Dairy – Illinois
- Farm Life Creamery, LLC – South Dakota
- GoodSport Nutrition, LLC – Illinois
- Hollands’s Family Cheese, LLC – Wisconsin
- Kasemeister Creamery – South Dakota
- Klemish Creamery – Wisconsin
- Landmark Creamery, LLC – Wisconsin
- Maple Leaf Cheese Coop dba Monroe Farmers – Wisconsin
- Millerville Cooperative Creamery Assoc. – Minnesota
- Moore Family Farms – Iowa
- Nature’s Prime dba: Khaaza – Minnesota
- Olala Creamery – Wisconsin
- Pasture Pride Cheese, LLC – Wisconsin
- Red Head Creamery – Minnesota
- Royal Guernsey Creamery, LLC – Wisconsin
- Simple Life Farms – Iowa
- Specialty Cheese Co., Inc. – Wisconsin
- Tuls Dairy dba DARI, LLC – Wisconsin
- Yodelay Yogurt, LLC – Wisconsin
