Wisconsin Dairy Processor Grants

The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection administers a Dairy Processor Grant program whose goal is to foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.

Eligible applicants must operate a licensed dairy processing plant in Wisconsin engaged in pasteurizing, processing or manufacturing milk or dairy products. Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount.

Grant applications are customized by each processor and can be used to hire consultants to address a wide range of business needs including food safety, staff training or modernization.

Applicants must satisfy the following criteria to be deemed eligible for funding under the Dairy Processor Grant Program. An applicant must:

• Operate a licensed dairy processing plant engaged in pasteurizing or manufacturing dairy products, or processing dairy products into other dairy products, for sale or distribution that is located in WI

• Have a project(s) that will make operational improvements, improve profitability, and/or involve a new process or innovation

• Have no outstanding state penalties or violations and be in good standing with Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions

• Employees of Wisconsin DATCP and immediate family members (i.e. mother, father, brother, sister, spouse, and children) are not eligible to receive a grant

• Entities with a current, open DATCP Dairy Processor Grant cannot apply for funding to further the same project

Eligible Projects

• The DATCP Dairy Processor Grant is designed to provide access to services and resources for proposed dairy processing plant projects that enhance or develop the current business, solve an existing problem or concern at the plant, improve production or profitability, and/or help the processor innovate.

Eligible Expenses

Eligible project expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Operating expenses directly related to the grant project, including expenses for salaries and wages, contract and consulting services, and *travel. (*all travel reimbursements must follow state rate requirements.)

• Training costs to improve employee skills (eg. food safety, skills for operating new technology, managerial training, etc.)

• Equipment rental

• The purchase of supplies that the full value is ordinarily depreciable within one year and costs less than $5000 (software, etc.)

Ineligible Expenses

• Real estate purchases

• Repayment of loans or mortgages

• Rent or contract payments for time periods extending beyond the term of the grant contract

• Equipment purchases, construction, or capital expenses (items whose cost is $5000 or more and depreciates over more than one year)

• Administrative or overhead costs that are not direct costs of the grant project

• Advertising expenses

• Legal fees

• Lobbying, fundraising, or other political activity

• Any costs incurred by any firm for work performed in the preparation of and production of a proposal or for any work performed prior to the formal execution of a contract

Recipients are chosen through a competitive process. A total grant up to $50,000 is available per dairy processor per year. The dairy processor is required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount.

The application form is located on the DATCP website and below.

Read the Request for Proposals carefully before filling out the application.

Applications must be emailed to ryand.dunn@wisconsin.gov by 5:00pm on Monday, January 30, 2022.

If you do not have computer access to download and complete the application, contact Ryan Dunn at 608-590-7239

• 2023 Request for Proposals

• Application​

• Press Release - DATCP Dairy Processor Grant Application Open through January 7

• 2021 Dairy Processor Grant Recipients ​