The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) is a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) that develops and administers programs providing technical assistance as well as grants to dairy farms and businesses in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. To learn more about applying for a DBIA grant, click here.
The overall DBIA goal is to find ways to improve the profitability of
dairy farmers and processors. This goal is in alignment with the stated
objectives of the initiative.
The 2018 U.S. Farm Bill created the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative
to assist dairy farmers and dairy processors in creating new revenue
streams through farm diversification and the creation of “higher value”
food and beverage products containing a dairy ingredient. In 2019, the
USDA requested applications that resulted in the selection of three
locations as regional hosts for this initiative:
The 2018 Farm Bill lasts for five years. It is expected, pending Congress’s budgetary process, that additional annual funding will be made available annually.
For each year an award is made, the three regional centers of excellence will receive an equal amount of funding.
Initial funding from the USDA was released in late 2019, providing approximately $460,000 to each center. The terms of the award require a minimum of 50% of the funds to be distributed as grants to dairy based farms and processors.
On August 20, 2020, the USDA notified DBIA that they had been awarded $6.13 million to support their program plans for the next three years.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) announced the thirty eight companies and cooperatives which, via a competitive review process, have been selected to receive grants totaling over $1.7 million to support dairy farmers and processors. (5/19/2022)
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance cheered U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Secretary Tom Vilsack’s direction of $80 million in American Rescue Plan funds to Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBII) first championed by U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) in the 2018 Farm Bill. Four regional DBII programs, including the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance led by WCMA and the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, will be eligible to apply for up to $20 million in 2022.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) is now accepting applications for its Dairy Business Builder Grant. Dairy farmers, entrepreneurs, and processors in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin are eligible to apply. Grants of up to $50,000 will be awarded through a competitive process.
Small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, entrepreneurs, and processors in Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin can prepare now to apply for a new, $1 million round of grants administered by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA). This advance notice allows applicants to develop business plans, secure vendor quotes, and take advantage of webinars and other resources available on the DBIA website.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) announced the four companies and cooperatives which, via a competitive review process, have been selected to receive grants totaling over $600,000 to develop an innovative idea or tackle a challenge with the potential to advance the dairy industry. (11/8/2021)
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) announced the 26 companies and cooperatives which, via a competitive review process, have been selected to receive grants totaling $1.19 million. (7/1/2021)
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA) is seeking to support dairy product manufacturers that want help developing an innovative idea or tackling a challenge with the potential to advance the dairy industry.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA), will be distributing $1 million in its next grant cycle.
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) helped pass a spending package in Congress that allocates $22 million in funding for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives in 2021.
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), a partnership between the Center for Dairy Research (CDR) and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) announced the 13 companies and cooperatives which, via a competitive review process, have been selected to receive grants totaling $230,000. (9/14/20)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced that the Center for Dairy Research and Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) have been awarded $6.13 million to support continuation of the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), serving Illinois, Iowa, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wisconsin. (8/20/20)
