Dairy processors along the Pacific Coast are among the 20 total grant winners receiving an impactful investment to strengthen the industry’s resilience. The Pacific Coast Coalition—Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII), hosted by California State University, Fresno, has awarded more than $2,000,000 in grant funding to dairy companies in Arizona, California, Oregon, and Washington.
“This year’s funding awarded through the Pacific Coast Coalition Dairy Business Innovation Initiative will promote sustainability within the Pacific Coast dairy industry and equip the region’s dairy farmers with the resources they need to thrive,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “USDA is grateful for our partners at the Pacific Coast Coalition- DBII and applauds their significant impacts on the nation’s dairy industry.”
“Not only will these grants help businesses optimize their processes and innovate their products, but the West Coast region is building a stronger dairy presence,” said PCC-DBII Project Director Carmen Licon Cano, Ph.D. “Each grant will result in time-saving equipment and expertise that develops new offerings, creates jobs, and increases profitability.”
“By investing in new and existing products, the PCC-DBII awarded grants facilitate entrepreneurship and increase the availability of innovative cheese, butter, yogurt, and ice cream products both regionally and nationally,” said Dr. Susan Pheasant, Director of the Institute for Food and Agriculture and “cowkeeper” for the PCC-DBII. “These grant winners are driving economic sustainability and growth through their high-quality dairy foods.”
Arizona:
Oregon:
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The Pacific Coast Coalition - Dairy Business Innovation Initiative is funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and hosted by California State University, Fresno. The initiative is in collaboration with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, California Dairy Innovation Center, Chapman University, Oregon State University, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, UC Davis, and Washington State University. According to a press release, this is the fifth round of grant funding through the PCC-DBII. Via five rounds of funding, PCC-DBII has made nearly $13 million in grants from the USDA AMS available to regional dairy businesses for innovation-related investments, helping dairy processors evolve their operations and adopt more sustainable practices.
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