US Cheesemakers Call for Release of Dairy Business Innovation Funding

The dairy industry is facing a significant challenge as many farmers and processors feel the pinch of a federal funding freeze. The Dairy Business Innovation Initiative, a successful program known for offering reimbursements to small dairy businesses, has recently had its funds withheld, despite approval by Congress.

Rebekah Sweeney of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association expressed concern about the implications of the funding freeze. According to Sweeney, the initiative has bolstered small businesses, leading to job creation, product innovation, and expansion into new markets. "It stands to impact 420 dairy businesses nationwide, many of them very small farms or processors," she stated, stressing the importance of these grants.

In response to the freeze, Sweeney and colleagues from the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association plan a visit to Washington D.C. to advocate for the release of funds. The cessation of financial support endangers current fund recipients who have plans yet to be realized or are in the process of seeking reimbursement.

With 88 awards currently in process, Wisconsin alone has nearly $6.5 million in outstanding promised reimbursements at risk. The Dairy Business Innovation Initiative, including four centers serving eleven Midwestern states, was a crucial focus of the 2018 Farm Bill, thanks to the efforts of Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin. Senator Baldwin has already voiced her demands to the USDA for an immediate recommencement of fund distribution.