Project Grant 23DBIWI1019

THE DAIRY BUSINESS INNOVATION ALLIANCE (DBIA), ESTABLISHED IN 2019, IS A PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE CENTER FOR DAIRY RESEARCH (CDR) AND THE WISCONSIN CHEESE MAKERS ASSOCIATION (WCMA). TOGETHER WITH REGIONAL COLLABORATORS ACROSS ELEVEN STATES (WI, MN, IA, SD, IL, MI, IN, KS, NE, MO OH), THE DBIA PROVIDES ACCESS TO EXPERTISE, RESOURCES AND INSIGHTS TO SUPPORT DAIRY BUSINESS INNOVATION.THE DBIA 2023 PROPOSAL EXPANDS THE SCOPE OF THE PREVIOUS PROGRAMS TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE, REPRODUCIBLE MODEL THAT PROMOTES BUSINESS INNOVATION WITHIN THE DAIRY INDUSTRY.THIS 2023 APPLICATION WITH THE THEME OF OUTREACH CONTINUES TO BUILD UPON THE PREVIOUS GRANT INFRASTRUCTURES AND SUCCESSFUL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS ENABLING DAIRY FARMERS PROCESSORS TO GET THEIR IDEAS OFF THE GROUND, INTO THE MARKET, AND GROW THEIR BUSINESS. THIS WILL BE ACHIEVED VIA THE FOLLOWING GOALS:GOAL 1: PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO DAIRY PROCESSORS IN THEIR EFFORTS TO ADD VALUE TO THEIR MILK.GOAL 2: INCREASE THE MENTORSHIP SUPPORT FOR OUR DBIA REGION, FOCUSING ON DAIRY ENTITIES IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THEIR BUSINESS EFFORTS BY EXPANDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACROSS MARKETING, FINANCIAL PLANNING, AND TECHNICAL EXPERTISE.GOAL 3: CONTINUE TO ADDRESS INDUSTRY ISSUES WITH A RANGE OF DEDICATED, TIMELIMITED PROJECTS WHOSE OBJECTIVES ARE ALIGNED WITH THE DBII AND WHOSE RESULTS WILL BE SHARED.THE TIME FRAME FOR THIS PROGRAM WILL BE THREE YEARS BEGINNING 4TH QUARTER 2023.THE DBIA WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH REGIONAL AND NATIONAL COLLABORATORS AS IT DEVELOPS ITS PROGRAMS WITH THE POTENTIAL FOR SCALABLE APPLICATION ACROSS THE COUNTRY.