3.45 Million Investment Comes to the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center

The USDA is granting $3.45 million to the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC).  One of four Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI), the NE-DBIC serves dairy farmers and processors across 11 states, including: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.  These funds directly support dairy farmers and processors with modernization, innovation, and increasing efficiency and sustainability across the dairy sector.   

From decreasing the use of virgin plastic in dairy packaging to boosting milk quality and bringing local milk to local schools, these grants have immediate and long-term positive impacts for individual businesses and the entire supply chain.   

This additional $3.45 million will expand the NE-DBIC’s ability to provide grant funds to dairy farmers and processors for innovation and modernization projects.   

“The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center team appreciates the USDA’s ongoing support and funding. The DBI funds offer a chance to invest throughout the dairy supply chain, fostering resilience and innovation in the region’s dairy industry.  These new funds will allow us to support many additional projects that will benefit dairy farmers and processors and bolster long-term viability,” said Laura Ginsburg, Dairy Strategy and Innovation Manager, Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets. 

New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said, “The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center is a critical partner in our work to support New York State’s talented dairy producers and processors, who provide significant contributions to New York’s agricultural industry, the economy, and the health of our communities. I congratulate the NE-DBIC on receiving this additional support from USDA and look forward to seeing the projects they fund in New York, and across the northeast, help our dairy producers to continue modernizing and increasing the long-term sustainability of their businesses.” 

“As a result of the Northeast-Dairy Business Innovation Center, Massachusetts dairy farms will continue to update their marketing, branding, and on-farm infrastructure, adapting to the modern needs of producing the highest quality products,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle. “To date, over $2M has been awarded to 20 grant projects in Massachusetts. With this latest funding announcement, our state and regional dairy economy will be able to make further investments to ensure the sustainability and growth of the industry. We’re grateful to USDA for their support of the Northeast-DBIC.” 

“Pennsylvania’s 4,000-plus dairy farmers face ever-increasing challenges from changes in the marketplace, technology, and climate,” Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding said. “A historic level of investments in conservation and innovation from both the USDA and Pennsylvania are working together to multiply the impact of the farmers’ own investments to modernize, diversify, and meet consumer demand to stay competitive and succeed.” 

“Investing in dairy is important to our rural communities because it supports a working landscape,” said Vermont’s Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets Secretary Anson Tebbetts.  “We are grateful to have these dollars to support our dairy farmers and processors in Vermont and the Northeast.  The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center is making a difference for farmers, processors and those who love dairy. We will put these investments to good use.”

Two NE-DBIC grants are open this month: The Innovation in Dairy Processing & Packaging Grant and the On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant.  Additional grants will open this winter, with funding programs for farmers and processors to invest in specialized equipment. 

The NE-DBIC’s investment and project strategy promotes innovation and resiliency for regional production of dairy products across an 11-state Northeast region.  Established in the 2018 Farm Bill, NE-DBIC is hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, and is funded through the USDA-AMS.