The Center for Dairy Excellence is offering multiple grants for the 2019-20 fiscal year to provide dairy farmers with a team approach to decision-making.

The team grants allow dairy farmers to establish a dairy profit, transition or transformation team that consists of industry experts and trusted advisers. The Dairy Decisions Consultants grants provide dairy families with professional consulting resources to help make decisions that shape the future of their farm. The application period for both programs opens Sept. 1.

Dairy teams

On-farm teams typically consist of the farm’s most trusted advisers, with a facilitator designated to coordinate meetings and workflow. Farmers with existing teams or those who want to establish a team to work in an advisory role can receive reimbursements for paid team members and discovery-related costs.

Three types of teams are available to dairy farm families:

Dairy profit teams. The profit team’s function is to serve as a group of advisers for the farm, addressing challenges and identifying opportunities for greater profitability.

Dairy transition teams. This team is designed to help farms develop a transition or succession plan. The grant covers the cost of paid team members, discovery-related costs and attorney expenses.

Dairy transformation teams. This option allows producers to establish a team to help plan and execute a major business transformation. The grant may also include additional funding if the farm’s plan involves a renewable energy component.

In addition to the on-farm team grants, the center provides Dairy Decisions Consultants grants. Farmers who are accepted into the program are paired with an experienced consultant who helps to enhance business performance and reach financial benchmarks, explore new business opportunities, or develop a strong employee relations and development plan.

For all grant programs offered by the center, program participants must demonstrate industry and farm commitment by documenting in-kind and financial match contributions to the program reimbursements received. Farmers must complete an application and submit the required $100 application fee to participate in the advisory teams.

Once approved, farms can utilize the grant to be reimbursed for any qualified expenses incurred from July 1, 2019 to May 31, 2020.

Visit centerfordairyexcellence.org to access program applications or contact Melissa Anderson at 717-346-0849.

Source: Pennsylvania Center for Dairy Excellence, which is solely responsible for the information provided and is wholly owned by the source. Informa Business Media and all its subsidiaries are not responsible for any of the content contained in this information asset.