Grow Wisconsin Dairy Producer Grant and Loans are made possible by ATCP 161. Wis. Adm. Code. 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.

The Grow Wisconsin Dairy Grant is a flexible, customizable grant available to producers to retain farms, facilitate operational changes and improve profitability. This grant is customizable 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.
Application Materials

Applications available November 1st. Deadline for applications is December 18, 2015. All applications must include the application, a signed W-9 that displays either the legal business name of your farm or the legal individual name that should appear on the grant funds check, and a Letter of Credit from your current financial institution. For your convenience, there is a sample of a Letter of Credit below.

Dairy Profit Teams
Up to $5,000 grant develops an on farm management team to assist dairy producers in improving management of existing operational systems and identify opportunities to improve profit.

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.

Planning & Preparation Teams

Up to $5,000 grant to be applied towards business, development and expansion needs.

• 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.

For forms and additional information: http://datcp.wi.gov/Farms/Dairy_Farming/Grow_Wisconsin_Dairy_Grant//