NC State Dairy Extension received tough news from our SDBII lead partner, University of TN, today regarding the freezing of funds; please see the entire news article below. The critical take aways are
- If you have been working on a farm infrastructure or precision tech grant for this 2025 cycle that was due March 5th, I encourage you to finish it and file it so that when we receive notice that we can "unfreeze" the cycle, it will be ready to go with some final edits/updates.
- If you are a past SDBII recipient with an open grant and you have specific questions about reimbursement requests that you submitted since Jan 19, 2025. or that you plan to submit soon, note that there are times listed below when contacts at UT can answer questions that you may have.
- If you as a producer or processor feel like the SDBII funding is important and you want to see it continue, see the note about action you can take.
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We write to share concerning news regarding the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives, funded via the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) with Congressionally-directed monies.
The four Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBIIs) have just been informed that USDA is pausing reimbursement for our programs, with a retroactive effective date of January 19, 2025. This means that the DBII funding is frozen, not unlike other federal grant programs you may have heard about in recent news. As a result, the Southeast Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (SDBII) will not be able to process your reimbursement requests until we receive new direction. We are also suspending our current Requests for Applications for both the Farm Infrastructure Improvement and Precision Technology Management Grants (set to close March 5th). We know this situation is unnerving and disappointing.
Please be assured that we are here to serve you. We are partnering with the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance out of Wisconsin to amplify our voices. Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association, one of the organizations administering the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance, is an effective lobbying entity serving processors and their partners in the dairy industry across 44 states. They will be advocating for you directly in Washington, D.C. next Monday, March 3, and Tuesday, March 4. Meetings are scheduled with members of Congress and USDA leadership, and we invite you to add your voice to theirs by signing a letter from WCMA at this link: https://wischeesemakers.wufoo.
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Please complete the form below to sign on to a letter to USDA, urging the release of all Congressionally-directed funds to DBI centers, essential for reimbursement of DBI grants.
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If you would like to directly share your story, we have attached a template letter you may choose to complete and address to Senator Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee who has co-sponsored the DBII funding bills with Senator Tammy Baldwin. We are also attaching a list of legislators from the Southeast Region who serve on the House Committee on Agriculture. If you are in their district, we encourage you to reach out directly to them to share your concerns and the impacts these funds have had on you and your business.
You are welcome to get in touch with us at any time. We are proactively offering virtual “office hours” to try to provide you with answers to questions you may have at this time. Shep Stearns and Dr. Liz Eckelkamp will be available via Zoom at any of the following dates and times:
Friday, February 28
- 10:00-10:30 a.m.
- 11:00-11:30 a.m.
- 1:00-2:30 p.m.
Click on this link to join any of the Friday meeting times; there is no need to sign up or notify us of your planned participation.
Monday, March 3
- 10:00-10:30 a.m.
- 11:00-11:30 a.m.
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1:00-2:30 p.m.
Click on this link to join any of the Monday meeting times; there is no need to sign up or notify us of your planned participation.
We will continue to work hard to serve and support you and the dairy industry.
