On October 3rd the USDA announced awards totaling $23 million under the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative Grant Program. Directed support was established in 2019 and has funded a total of 441 projects. The purpose of the program is to provide the dairy industry with resources to maintain a supply of dairy products to consumers. Given available market intelligence, the dairy industry is suffering from competition from plant-based alternatives and is subject to constant criticism from animal rights and welfare advocates.
Funds will be allocated to California State University at Fresno, the University of Tennessee, the Vermont Agency for Agriculture, and the University of Wisconsin. Funds will allow agencies and universities to provide technical support including business development, marketing and branding.
Given that the initiative has been in operation for four years, the USDA owes taxpayers an accounting of how funds that have been spent to date have resulted in benefits to both producers and consumers. The dairy industry receives considerable support from the USDA, unlike the egg industry in which producers are obliged to operate in a free-market and highly competitive economy.