$1.1M in Grants Available to Boost Dairy Co-Packing in the Northeast

Feb 13, 2025

The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation (NE-DBIC) announces a $1.1 million investment in regional dairy processing through the Dairy Co-Packing Grant. This funding supports the development of new and expanded co-packing capabilities for processors, ultimately leading to more dairy products for consumers across the region.

The Dairy Co-Packing grants is open to applicants in 11 Northeast states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Eligible applicants include:

Dairy processors who are starting new co-packing partnerships.
Dairy processors with existing co-packing services who want to scale up, add new products, or expand partnerships.
Dairy brands that use or plan to use co-packing services.

Funding will support training and technical assistance for co-packing production. Funds may also be used for specialized dairy equipment, marketing and branding services, and more. To see specific requirements and the full list of what this grant can fund, visit the grant webpage: https://nedairyinnovation.com/processor-copacking-startup-grant/

Award amounts will range from $15,000 to $150,000, with a 25% in-kind and/or cash match. Approximately $1.1 million in total funds are available.

Applications are open from February 11 through April 10 at 2:00 pm ET.

The NE-DBIC's investment and project strategy promotes innovation and resiliency for regional production of dairy products across an 11-state Northeast region. Hosted by the Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food and Markets, the NE-DBIC is funded through the USDA-AMS.

For more information on the NE-DBIC, visit:  https://nedairyinnovation.com/

Source : vermont.gov

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.