The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC) is offering the Dairy Food Safety & Certification Grant to support dairy farmers, processors, dairy brands, and producer associations in enhancing food safety and biosecurity measures. The program provides funding for projects that advance dairy product safety, assist in obtaining certifications, and improve market access. The grant is not intended for new production or processing startups but rather for existing dairy businesses that already meet baseline food safety standards and wish to pursue higher standards, third-party audits, or certifications. Eligible projects may include written plan development, specialized training, technical assistance, infrastructure improvements, special testing, and audit costs.

The grant program prioritizes projects that enhance dairy product marketability and those that provide safety improvements benefiting multiple dairy businesses. It is open to applicants in eleven Northeast states, including Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Grant funding ranges from $10,000 to $75,000, with a required 25% match that can be in the form of cash or in-kind contributions. A total of up to $525,000 is available for this funding cycle. Matching funds must be demonstrated by applicants as part of their proposed budget.

Eligible applicants must fall into at least one of the following categories:

Dairy Farmers: Must be based in the Northeast, produce milk within the region, and comply with all relevant state and federal licensing requirements.
Dairy Processors: Must be headquartered in the Northeast, process dairy products for human consumption, source dairy components from the region, and hold the necessary state and federal processing licenses.
Dairy Brands: Must market dairy products produced by a licensed Northeast processor and must provide a letter of commitment from the partner processor.
Producer Associations: Must represent Northeast dairy producers or processors, benefit multiple dairy businesses, and provide at least two letters of commitment from benefiting entities. Associations funded primarily by producer check-off dollars are ineligible.
Applications will be accepted through WebGrants from February 27, 2025, to April 24, 2025, at 2 PM ET. New applicants must register for WebGrants in advance, which may take up to two business days. While not mandatory, applicants are strongly encouraged to obtain a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov during the application process to prevent potential delays in grant initiation.

For further information or assistance, applicants may contact Ben Eldredge at ben.eldredge@vermont.gov or (802) 522-9478. Additional resources, including the full Request for Applications (RFA) and the Application Guide, can be accessed on the NE-DBIC website. The program is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service through multiple grant agreements.