USDA Announces Over $11 Million Awarded to Support the U.S Dairy Industry

Notice to Trade

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) today announced it is awarding more than $11 million in grant funding to support dairy businesses and producers through the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI) grant program. The initiatives support small and mid-sized dairy businesses in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products.

USDA continues to work to advance the U.S. dairy industry, following the monumental signing of the Whole Milk for Healthy Kids Act of 2025, encouraging Americans to Drink Whole Milk, and eat Real Food on the heels of issuing updated Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030.

“This funding through the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives makes important investments in the domestic dairy industry, furthering USDA’s efforts to ensure Americans have access to affordable wholesome U.S. dairy products,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Dudley Hoskins.

This year’s funds are being awarded noncompetitively to the four current DBI Initiatives at California State University, Fresno; the University of Tennessee; Vermont Agency of Agriculture, Food & Markets; and the University of Wisconsin. The initiatives will use the funding to provide valuable technical assistance and subaward funds to dairy farmers and businesses across their regions, supporting them with business plan development, marketing, and branding, as well as increasing access to innovative production and processing techniques to support the development of value-added products.

For more information, visit the AMS Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives webpage. Dairy farmers and businesses interested in the program must contact the appropriate initiative to be considered for direct technical assistance or a subaward.

AMS supports U.S. food and agricultural product market opportunities, while increasing consumer access to fresh, healthy foods through applied research, technical services, and congressionally funded grants.

To learn more about AMS’s investments in enhancing and strengthening agricultural systems, visit www.ams.usda.gov/grants.

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