Grouped by state, here are the grant awardees:

California: Alexandre Family Creamery (Crescent City); Foggy Bottoms Boys (Ferndale); Drake Family Farms (Ontario); Leo Leo Gelato (Paso Robles); OutWest (Willows); Rocky Oaks Goat Creamery (Clovis); Rumiano Cheese (Willows); Stepladder Creamery (Cambria); Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery (Valley Ford); WonderCow (Madera)

New Mexico: Hamblin Dairy (La Plata)

Oregon: Creamline Farms (Milton-Freewater); Crushpad Creamery (Grants Pass); Dreamie’s Creamery (Dallas); Fraga Farmstead Creamery (Gales Creek); Lady Lane Farm (Mulino); PNW Water Buffalo Project (Milton-Freewater); Rising Sun Dairy (Turner); Ruby Jewel Company (Portland); TMK Creamery (Canby); Truly Keto (Portland)

Washington: Andersen Dairy (Battle Ground); Columbia Community Creamery (Chewelah); Lost Peacock Creamery (Olympia); Mount Rainier Creamery (Enumclaw); Oliver Family Creamery (Zillah); Portland Creamery (Vancouver); Steensma Creamery (Lynden)

According to PCC-DBII “Cowkeeper” Dr. Susan Pheasant, projects range from time-saving equipment  to expand product lines to creating marketing and business strategies for new products and agritourism efforts. Funded requests fit into two categories:  Equipment and training:.

Equipment will:

• Improve the consistency of product size and pack

• Automate repetitive tasks to free up human time for innovative product development

• Allow production quantities to be scaled up, expanding market opportunities

• Transform  product packaging that will increase shelf life, consistency of product weight and/or package functionality

Technical assistance and training will:

• Enhance quality, consistency, and innovation of  products, such as feasibility design studies, shelf life studies, and sensory evaluations

• Guide the creation of business plans and promotional campaigns specific to a new product as well as online strategies (website and social media)

• Help develop curriculum for university interns, FFA high school students, and 4-H youth

• Educate and expand agritourism and career  opportunities, including a scaffolded approach to educating about where food comes from

THE PACIFIC COAST COALITION DAIRY BUSINESS INITIATIVE is funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and hosted by California State University, Fresno in collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman University, Chico State, Oregon State University, UC Davis, Washington State University, and the California Dairy Innovation Center.  For more information: https://www.dairypcc.net/