If you were one of the farms that lost a contract with Horizon/Danone or Maple Hill Creamery, you may be eligible for a grant from the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (DBIC). Each eligible farm can receive reimbursements of up to $5,000 for infrastructure and equipment purchases or upgrades needed to make the farm shipment-ready for a new market or to improve milk quality. These funds may be used for improvements like chart recorders, milk house equipment replacement, sanitation supplies, stanchion and tie-stall improvements (i.e. mattresses), technical assistance (to address milk quality issues, improve components), and barn, housing, or other farmstead improvements (excluding construction costs) that are critical to ensuring you have a buyer. This grant is being administered by NOFA-NY in New York, NOFA-VT in Vermont, and MOFGA in Maine. You don’t have to be certified with these organizations to apply for the grant, so call your state’s certifier today. In NY, call Liana Hoodes, NOFA-NY, 914-443-5759; in Vermont, Jen Miller, NOFA-VT, 802-434-7159; in Maine, call Jacki Perkins, MOFGA, 802-595-9866.
The grant program runs until January 31, 2023, but the funds are available right now, so reach out today!
Posted: to Industry News on Sun, Nov 20, 2022
Updated: Sun, Nov 20, 2022
