Center for Dairy Excellence Opens Dairy Innovation Grants

By Blake Jackson

The Center for Dairy Excellence is accepting pre-applications for its upcoming Dairy Innovation Grants, an initiative designed to help Pennsylvania dairy farms invest in advanced technology.

The effort is tied to the Pennsylvania Ag Innovation Fund, launched by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture, which supports projects that use technology to improve efficiency, production, data use, and energy management in agriculture.

Through this program, the Center plans to apply for a Regional Impact Grant that would allow it to award Dairy Innovation Grants to as many as 20 dairy farms across the state.

The focus of this round would be activity monitoring systems, a technology shown to improve herd health, reproduction efficiency, and overall farm performance. If approved, selected farms could receive up to $25,000 in matching funds to offset the cost of these systems.

Only farms that successfully complete the Center’s pre-application process will be included in its larger submission to the PA Ag Innovation Fund. Because of this structure, no funding will be awarded unless the Center’s application is approved. Pre-applications from dairy producers must be submitted by March 18 to allow time for final grant submission.

“Investing in new technology like activity monitoring systems for your dairy farm is exciting and can really boost efficiency. But it can be a huge expense for most dairy farm families,” said Melissa Anderson, Programs and Operations Manager at the Center for Dairy Excellence.

“If our application is accepted, these Dairy Innovation Grants could help ease upfront costs and make it possible for dairy producers to pursue innovative technology that can drive their operations forward.”

If funded, the program would reimburse up to 25 percent of total project costs, capped at $33,333. Eligible applicants must be Pennsylvania dairy operations meeting herd size, sales, conservation planning, biosecurity, and animal care requirements, and must demonstrate long-term sustainability and measurable outcomes.

For registration, visit www.centerfordairyexcellence.org/dairy-innovation-grants or contact Melissa Anderson at 717-788-0296 or manderson@centerfordairyexcellence.org.

Photo Credit: center-for-dairy-excellence