A processing group says many dairy farmers and processors are feeling the impact of the federal government’s funding freeze.
Rebekah Sweeney with the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association tells Brownfield the Dairy Business Innovation Initiative has been a successful program that reimburses small businesses for investing in their futures, but now, the funds are being withheld. “This program has made their business more resilient. They’ve added jobs. They’ve created new products. They’ve expanded into new export markets. They return greater value to their farmers.”
Sweeney says USDA confirmed the funding freeze Tuesday. She says the most recent round of funding that was approved by Congress has been paused, putting the current recipients in jeopardy. “It stands to impact 420 dairy businesses nationwide, many of them very small farms or processors who have used small, targeted grants to grow their businesses and now may not receive reimbursement for their expenses.”
Sweeney says she and other members of the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association will be traveling to Washington D.C. next week to urge USDA officials to release the funding and ask Members of Congress to support the program they have already voted for.
Sweeney says DBIA has 88 Wisconsin awards in process today, with nearly $6.5 million in outstanding promised reimbursement.
The lead author of the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance funding in the 2018 Farm Bill was Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin. Baldwin also wrote to Ag Secretary Brooke Rollins Wednesday demanding USDA restart payments already committed to DBI Initiative recipients.
Audio: Rebekah Sweeney discusses the funding freeze on Dairy Business Innovation Initiative funding with Brownfield’s Larry Lee
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