The Grow Wisconsin Dairy Producer Grants and Loans are made possible by ATCP 161.60 emergency rule. As part of the Grow Wisconsin Dairy 30x20 Initiative, the Grow Wisconsin Dairy Producer grant aligns to the goal to improve the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy industry through services to achieve an annual milk production of 30 billion pounds by 2020 to meet the demand of the marketplace.

The Grow Wisconsin Dairy Grant is a flexible, customizable grant available to producers to retain farms, facilitate operational changes, improve profitability and yield more milk. This grant can be customized to meet the needs of individual farms and can be applied to hire consultants with a range of expertise to address specific business needs. These available services and grant funds are grouped into two categories that focus on changes or efforts related to: 1) Planning and preparation for business management, development and growth; and 2) Improving profitability through on-farm production and aspects related to the day-to-day farm operation.

Planning & Preparation Teams

• These funds can be used towards different business development areas such as business planning, financial analysis, transition planning and farm transfers. Business planning grants assist producers in the early stages of planning dairy start up or major changes in business structure.
• Funds are also applicable for dairy farm modernization and expansion efforts to provide assistance with professional services costs related to: siting, engineering, design, layout of new barns, parlors or other farm structures.
• Assistance (up to $5,000.00) for related professional services and consultant. Cost share payments by the farmer required at 20% of the grant amount.

Dairy Profit Teams

• The Profit Teams are a successful model in which groups of specialists and advisors work with farmers to evaluate opportunities for their farm, based on the specific needs of their operation.
• Services include a series of three to four meetings in which the farmer and team members identify issues and opportunities, develop strategies for near and long-term planning. Topics include new or appropriate technology implementation, farm growth, financial success, long-term sustainability and other production enhancing measures through focuses on herd health, nutrition, milk production, software for operational efficiencies and training, managed grazing planning, or transition to organic production.
• Assistance (up to $5,000.00) to cover meeting expenses including facilitator’s expenses, consultant fees, applicable testing and associated costs. Cost share payments by the farmer required at 20% of the grant amount.

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