Round 1 of the 2027 Dairy Processor Grant application period closed on September 1, 2026. Award decisions will be communicated to applicants in early October. All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply for Round 2 of the 2027 Dairy Processor Grant. An FAQ is provided below for additional information.
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% 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.
Round 2 FAQ
Q: I applied for Round 1 of the 2027 Dairy Processor Grant. When will I hear back about my application?
A: 2027 Round 1 Dairy Processor Grant decisions will be communicated to applicants in early October 2026.
Q: I applied for Round 1 of the Dairy Processor Grant. Can I apply for Round 2?
A: All eligible applicants are encouraged to apply for Round 2. DATCP reserves the right to give preference to applicants that do not have open Dairy Processor Grants, however, all eligible applicants can apply.
Q: How can I learn more about the Dairy Processor Grant?
A: Please review the Request for Proposals for detailed information about the grant. DATCP will be hosting an
informational webinar at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, October 13.
If you have additional questions, please reach out to:
Jeff Peterson – Economic Development Consultant
(608) 355-2704
datcpdadgrants@wisconsin.gov
Announcements
October 2, 2026: Gov. Evers, DATCP Announce Dairy Processor Grant Recipients, Next Application Period Open
September 18, 2026: DATCP Accepting Dairy Processor Grants Through November 3, 2026
July 28, 2026: DATCP Dairy Processor Grants Open for Applications Through September 1
December 4, 2025: Gov. Evers, DATCP Announce 2026 Dairy Processor Grant Recipients
August 5, 2025: DATCP Accepting Dairy Processor Grants Through September 17
June 12, 2025: Gov. Evers, DATCP Celebrate June Dairy Month, Announce Dairy Processor Grant Recipients
December 10, 2024: DATCP Dairy Processor Grants Awarded and Next Application Period Open
August 14, 2024: DATCP Dairy Processor Grants Open for Applications Through October 7
May 15, 2023: DATCP Announces 2023 Dairy Processor Grant Recipients
October 24, 2022: DATCP Dairy Processor Grant Application Open through January 30
April 27, 2022: Gov. Evers, DATCP Announce 2022 Dairy Processor Grant Recipients
November 16, 2021: DATCP Dairy Processor Grant Application Open through January 7
May 18, 2021: DATCP Announces 2021 Dairy Processor Grant Recipients