Dairy groups ask USDA to revoke new cost-sharing rule
Twenty-eight dairy organisations across the United States have urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to cancel a newly introduced contribution requirement for the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives. The request was made in a letter to the US Department of Agriculture.
The Vermont Dairy Producers Alliance, the Northeast Dairy Producers Association and the International Dairy Foods Association are among the organisations backing the appeal. The coalition is asking the department to remove a charge equal to 25% of programme costs.
The initiatives previously operated without such a cost-sharing condition. They provide specialised technical assistance to dairy businesses, along with resources intended to support product development and operational improvements.
The programme also offers ways for participating businesses to broaden their sources of revenue and seek additional markets. These activities are described in the letter as part of the support available through the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives.
The groups said the new requirement should be withdrawn completely. “The cost-sharing requirement should be abandoned in its entirety due to its impact on the programme, and the burden it will ultimately place on dairy farmers and processors,” the letter stated.
The request was reported on October 12, 2026. The source did not specify whether the Agriculture Department had responded to the coalition’s letter or when the new requirement would take effect.
