Dairy producers who are looking for an outside perspective and a team approach to decision-making are encouraged to apply for multiple grant opportunities offered through the Center for Dairy Excellence. The team program grants allow dairy producers to establish on-farm teams and take advantage of professional consulting resources. The application period opened on September 1, 2019, and funding levels for each grant have recently been announced.
“Our on-farm team meetings helped us pull back and see our farming business from a distance instead of getting caught up in the day-to-day grind,” said Renee Gruber, from Middletown, Pennsylvania, who previously used the program. “Having a Dairy Profit Team and an outside perspective helped us get a bigger glimpse of our dairy, whether it was looking at the financial books, talking to a nutritionist, or working with a veterinarian on breeding.”
The Center for Dairy Excellence’s team grants allow dairy farmers to establish a Dairy Profit, Transition or Transformation Team that consists of industry experts and trusted advisors. Dairy Decisions Consultants grants are an additional opportunity available to dairy farm families. Farms who are accepted into the DDC program are paired with an experienced consultant who can help enhance business performance, reach financial benchmarks, and explore new business opportunities.
“For farms that are uncertain about how to move forward in today’s marketplace, our team grants provide them with a close network of support and outside expertise to make decisions that are beneficial to the longevity of their farm,” said Melissa Anderson, Programs and Operations Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence.
Learn more about the team grants available to dairy farm families:
- Dairy Profit Teams: The Profit Team’s function is to serve as a group of advisors for the farm, addressing challenges and identifying opportunities for greater profitability. Dairy farms can receive up to $2,000 in reimbursements for paid team members and discovery-related costs.
- Dairy Transition Teams: This team is designed to help farms develop a transition or succession plan. The grant covers up to $3,000 of the cost of paid team members, discovery-related costs and attorney expenses.
- Dairy Transformation Teams: This option allows producers to establish a team to help plan and execute a major business transformation. Farms can receive up to $5,000 to establish a team to help plan and work through their transformation. Manure storage facility improvements do not qualify as eligible Transformation Team projects.
On-farm teams consist of the farm’s most trusted advisors, with a facilitator designated to coordinate meetings and workflow. Farms with existing teams or those who want to establish a team to work in an advisory role can receive reimbursements for paid team members and discovery-related costs.
For all grant programs offered by the Center, program participants must demonstrate industry and farm commitment by documenting in-kind and financial match contributions to the program reimbursements received. Farms must complete an application and submit the required $100 application fee to participate in the advisory teams.
The Center is currently accepting applications for On-Farm Teams and Dairy Decisions Consultants Grants. Once approved, farms can utilize the grant to be reimbursed for any qualified expenses incurred from July 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020.
Visit centerfordairyexcellence.org to access program applications, or contact Melissa Anderson at 717-346-0849.
