By Blake Jackson
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) has received $3.45 million in new funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, strengthening its ability to support dairy farmers and processors throughout the Northeast.
NE-DBIC is one of four regional Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI) nationwide and serves 11 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
This latest award marks the seventh round of funding since the DBI program was created under the 2018 Farm Bill. The initiative is designed to help dairy businesses modernize operations, adopt innovative practices, and improve efficiency and sustainability across the dairy supply chain.
NE-DBIC grants have played a key role in supporting projects that boost milk production, create jobs, expand market opportunities, and strengthen regional dairy infrastructure. These investments deliver both immediate benefits to individual farms and processors and long-term value for the broader dairy economy.
With the addition of this $3.45 million, NE-DBIC will continue offering grant funding to support modernization and innovation projects. The center has now received a total of $52.7 million in USDA funding for initiatives scheduled to run through 2028.
“These grants are great news for New York’s dairy farms and will allow them to make the critical facility upgrades needed to keep up with a changing marketplace. I am happy to see this level of dedicated support by the NE-DBIC to our dairy farms and processors," New York State Agriculture Commissioner Richard A. Ball said.
"New York’s dairy industry is the top sector of our agricultural economy, and I am grateful to our partners here in the Northeast for their commitment to ensuring our farms remain strong and viable in the future.”
In March, NE-DBIC will host the Northeast Dairy Innovation Summit in Albany, New York, bringing together farmers, processors, and industry stakeholders to highlight successful projects and explore future opportunities for the region’s dairy sector.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-vwalakte
Categories: New York, Government & Policy, Livestock, Dairy Cattle