MADISON, WIS. – The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) announced the 21 recipients of its 2023 Dairy Processor Grants, which are meant to drive innovation, improve profitability and sustain the long-term viability of the state’s dairy processing facilities.

Per DATCP, it received more than 38 grant requests totaling upwards of $1.5 million, while a total of $400,000 in grant funds were available this year.

Dairy Processor Grants were awarded to the following companies to support the listed projects:

• Cedar Grove Cheese, Plain, Wis. – Invest in a tanker activity tracker system.

• Chalet Cheese Cooperative, Monroe, Wis. – Create a marketing development plan.

• Eau Galle Cheese Factory LLC, Durand, Wis. – Invest in a wastewater treatment plant.

• Family Dairies USA, Madison, Wis. – Conduct a feasibility study for the ownership of a conversion facility.

• Harmony Cheese LLC, Stratford, Wis. – Make processing improvements.

• Klondike Cheese Co., Monroe, Wis. – Invest in cybersecurity for cheese plants.

• Landmark Creamery LLC, Paoli, Wis. – Invest in expansion and modernization.

• Marieke House of Gouda LLC, Eau Claire, Wis. – Invest and model for distance retail and remote sales.

• Nasonville Dairy Inc., Marshfield, Wis. – Facilitate expansion and audit assistance.

• Roelli Cheese Co. Inc., Shullsburg, Wis. – Invest in cheesemaker training and expansion.

• Rosewood Dairy, Sturgeon Bay, Wis. – Fund installation of a wastewater tank.

• S. Terry Woods LTD, Walworth, Wis. – Purchase comprehensive responsive software package.

• Safety Fresh Foods LLC, Plymouth, Wis. – Invest in waste reduction and innovation.

• Scoops Ice Cream, Chilton, Wis. – Invest in expansion and modernization.

• Uplands Cheese, Dodgeville, Wis. – Develop new cheese plant engineering.

• V&V Supremo, Browntown, Wis. – Invest in a plant modernization project.

• Weber's Farm Store, Marshfield, Wis. – Invest in flavor labels and expansion.

• Westby Cooperative Creamery, Westby, Wis. – Develop packaging redesign.

• Widmer's Cheese Cellars Inc., Theresa, Wis. – Invest in plant modernization.

• Winona Foods, Inc., Green Bay, Wis. – Invest in a leak detection system.

• Wisconsin Whey Protein, Turtle Lake, Wis. – Complete dryer modification project at Turtle Lake plant.

The Dairy Processor Grant program offers a maximum of $50,000 for each project and grant recipients must provide a match of at least 20% of the grant amount.

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers said investing in the state’s dairy processors to make sure they can update and modernize their operations is a necessity. He said the state legislature increased funding for the grant program as part of the 2021-23 biennial budget. Evers proposed an increase in funding for the grant program and urged the legislature to support it.

Per DATCP, it has received 199 Dairy Processor Grant proposals requesting more than $7 million since 2014. It has funded 106 of those for $2 million.

More information regarding the grants is available online at the DATCP website.