Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association urges USDA to release frozen funds

The Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association (WCMA) is urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to release millions of dollars in frozen funds. In a letter to U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins, WCMA asks for $28.6 million for the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives to be released. The funding uncertainty threatens to impact 420 dairy businesses across the country, according to a news release. The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance (DBIA), a key component of the DBI, has 88 pending awards with nearly $6.5 million in promised reimbursement. Almost 90 percent of these funds are designated for small businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance, established under the 2018 federal Farm Bill, has awarded over $20 million in grants to small and medium-sized dairy farms and processors in the Midwest. The program also provides technical assistance within its 11-state service area, which includes states like Illinois, Indiana, and Wisconsin.