Producers Dairy in Fresno secures $2 million grant through state’s Food Production Investment Program for new equipment.

The Producers Dairy facility in Fresno has been awarded a significant grant to provide new equipment vital to increased production and food safety.

The grant totals $2 million and is generated through the Food Production Investment Program administered by the California Climate Initiative and the California Energy Commission. The grant will provide new refrigeration and compressed air equipment to enhance production capacity and food safety.

Producers has been a family-owned company since 1955 when Larry Shehaddy bought out other shareholders and assumed control of the company. Shehaddy first came to work for Producers in 1949. It remains family-owned today and is operated by the second and third-generation of the Shehaddy family.

“We’re proud to support the food processing industry’s efforts to modernize its equipment to reduce harmful emissions, enhance energy efficiency, and accelerate the adoption of renewable energy,” said CEC Chair David Hochschild in a statement. “These grants invest in projects that will help California continue to lead the way towards a clean energy future for all.”

Producers Dairy is headquartered in Fresno County, which ranks as the sixth-most productive milk-producing county in California, which is the nation’s leader in milk production. Tulare leads the state, followed by Merced, Stanislaus, Kern and Kings counties, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Dairy production also leads all other agricultural industries, nearly doubling profits over the second-most prosperous industry, grapes.

Three of the seven grant recipients are located in Los Angeles County. One recipient is in San Diego County, with one each in Merced and Wasco Counties. The total amount of grant funding equals $22.6 million. The two largest grant funds were $5 million, with two awards going to producers in Wasco and Los Angeles Counties.