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Ten Wisconsin Dairy Companies Selected to Receive Dairy Processor Grants

Tuesday, October 6th, 2026 -- 9:00 AM

Gov. Tony Evers, together with the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP), announced 10 Wisconsin dairy companies that have been selected to receive Dairy Processor Grants in 2027 following the first round of applications.

These grants help local dairy processors with projects to modernize and grow their businesses, produce new products, or expand their markets, while improving profitability and sustaining the long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.

“Dairy will always be a central part of who we are as a state, and ensuring our dairy producers and processors have the support and resources they need to grow their operations will always be an investment worth making,” said Gov. Evers. “Especially now, as federal chaos makes the agricultural landscape all the more volatile for our hardworking farmers and producers, doing all we can to support those who help keep Wisconsin proudly on the map as America’s Dairyland is crucial.”

Since the program started in 2014, DATCP has received 297 Dairy Processor Grant proposals requesting more than $12.5 million, and as of this latest grant round, has funded 158 of those proposals totaling $4.2 million.

With such significant interest in these grants, Gov. Evers has continuously supported increased investments in the Dairy Processor Grant Program, and the 2025-27 Biennial Budget signed by Gov. Evers last year included an additional $800,000 increase to support Wisconsin’s dairy processors and the state’s dairy supply chain, bringing total funding for the program to $1.2 million over the biennium.

“Dairy has a $52.8 billion impact on Wisconsin’s economy each year,” said DATCP Secretary Randy Romanski. “The demand for Wisconsin’s quality dairy products continues to grow due to the quality and innovation of the state’s dairy industry. Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Evers, Dairy Processor Grants are available to support hardworking dairy processors right here in America’s Dairyland.”

A total of $600,000 is available for Dairy Processor Grants in 2027, with a maximum of $50,000 allowed for each project. Grant recipients will be required to provide a match of at least 20 percent of the grant amount. In the first round of applications, DATCP received 14 grant requests totaling more than $500,000.

The selected recipients for this round of Dairy Processor Grants include:

  • Foremost Farms USA: Modernization of wastewater treatment system.
  • Old Country Farms Co-op: Investment in a new line of Hispanic cheeses.
  • UC Cheese LLC (Uplands Cheese): Addition of a farm store and classroom.
  • Alpinage Cheese LLC: Facility layout modernization project.
  • Rosewood Dairy (Renard’s Cheese): Installation of backup electrical generation capabilities.
  • Kemps LLC: Workforce technical training initiative.
  • Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Inc.: Warehouse modernization project.
  • Penterman Zussen LLC: Launching a new gelato product.
  • Blakesville Creamery: Creation of new mixed-milk cheese products.
  • Oak Grove Dairy Inc.: Milk intake expansion project.

Wisconsin dairy processors are encouraged to apply for the next round of 2027 Dairy Processor Grants, open now through Nov. 3, 2026. Applications must be submitted by 12 p.m. on Tues., Nov. 3, 2026.

The second round of grant recipients will be announced later this year. For more information on Dairy Processor Grants, visit DATCP’s website.

Feel free to contact us with questions and/or comments.