USDA Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives Program Passes in the House
Sunday, June 23rd, 2019 -- 10:03 AM
(Wisconsin Ag Connection) A budget-neutral amendment that provides funding for the USDA's Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives program passed in the House on Thursday by a voice vote.Authored by Wisconsin Congressman Bryan Steil, the amendment is part of an agriculture appropriations bill that previously cut DBI allocations earlier this spring. The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives supports dairy businesses in the development, production, marketing and distribution of dairy products. It provides direct technical assistance and grants to dairy businesses, including niche dairy products, such as specialty cheese, or dairy products derived from the milk of a dairy animal, including cow, sheep and goat milk.
John Lucey of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research says at a time of serious economic crisis in the dairy industry, the DBI Initiative is an important program that strives to increase dairy farm profitability.
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