California Ag Network

Tag: PCC-DBII

  • Federal Funds Awarded on Behalf of West Coast Dairy Businesses

    Over $11 million in grant funding has been released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA AMS) to support dairy producers and businesses through the Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives (DBI) initiative. The allocation of $690,000 will strengthen small and mid-sized dairy businesses and university pilot plants in California, Oregon, and Washington – all served by the Pacific Coast Coalition – Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII).

    “We anticipate a quick turnaround in distributing these funds so the awardees can see results,” said PCC Director Carmen Licon Ph.D. “Based on applications submitted in the recent Fall 2025 cycle, these resources will help dairy processors in the development, production, marketing, and distribution of dairy products,”

    According to Project Co-Director and “Cowkeeper” Susan Pheasant, PhD., many generational farms and new innovators will now be able to better produce cheese, ice cream, and additional higher value dairy products.

    Hosted by California State University, Fresno, The PCC-DBII is funded through the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service and is a collaboration with Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman University, Oregon State University, Oregon Dairy Council, Washington State University, and the California Dairy Innovation Center. For more information: https://www.dairypcc.net or nancyvanleuven@gmail.com.

    PCC grantee Cottage Hill Creamery goat milk products (Beavercreek, OR)

  • New Dairy Funding Opportunities For Innovation Open Through Oct. 31

    Dairy farmers, producers, and more: The Pacific Coast Coalition-Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII) is now accepting grant applications through October 31, 2025.  As outlined by federal guidelines: priority areas are for projects that:

    – Diversify dairy product markets to reduce risk and develop higher value uses for dairy products,

    – Promote business development that diversifies farmer income through processing and marketing innovation, and

    – Encourage the use of regional milk production.

    The PCC-DBII will consider all applications, with higher priority given to proposals that address and uplift regional milk usage, e.g. milk sheds. Total available dollars will be either $155,550 or $500,550, depending on the current government shutdown.

    Click here for the application form:  https://forms.gle/Q7kNftvgVGPPzvay8.

    Timing (subject to the duration and results of the US Government Shutdown) includes a virtual “office hour” for prospective applicants:

    ·      October 31, 2025 – Applications due

    ·      November 1-30, 2025 – Review of applications; contractual paperwork

    ·      December 1, 2025 – proposed start date subject to contractual paperwork being completed

    ·      FRIDAY July 31, 2026 – ALL grant award spending must be completed

    For more information: See previous grant winners from funding rounds 1 – 5. Additional funding opportunities are also available through the PCC-DBII Internship and Technical Assistance programs. Please contact PCC-DBII with any questions or call Nancy Van Leuven, (206) 919-8694.

  • Over $520,000 Awarded To Stabilize And Expand Western Dairy Businesses

    Dairy processors along the Pacific Coast are receiving a catalytic investment that will strengthen the industry’s resilience. The Pacific Coast Coalition – Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII), hosted by California State University, Fresno, has awarded $521,764 in grant funding to 12 dairy companies in California, Oregon and Washington. Each awardee is receiving up to $50,000, dependent on their submitted budget. These awards are all for equipment-related investments.

    Grouped by state, here are the grant awardees:

    California
    Foggy Bottoms Boys (Ferndale); Nicasio Valley Cheese (Nicasio); Petit Pot (Emeryville); Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Co. (Point Reyes);Shooting Star Creamery (Paso Robles); Stepladder Creamery (Cambria); Valley Ford Cheese & Creamery (Valley Ford)
    Oregon
    Nico’s Ice Cream (Portland); Rising Sun Dairy (Turner); Rose Valley Creamery (Tillamook); Ruby Jewel Company (Portland)
    Washington

    “The Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives have made significant impacts to the dairy industry and the agricultural economy as a whole,” said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “This funding will allow the Pacific Coast Coalition – Dairy Business Innovation Initiative to continue to develop critical relationships with California, Oregon and Washington dairy producers and processors to support their on-the-ground needs.”

    “Those selected for awards range from 98-year old multi-generational legacies looking to diversify their line, to 2 -year old BIPOC-owned start-ups with their sights on the nation’s biggest grocery stores. 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 that develops new offerings, creates jobs and increases profitability.”

    Grant winners intend to purchase items such as an ice cream machine, milk cooling transport tank, milk analyzer and homogenizer, pasteurizers and cheese cutting machines. These equipment purchases will:

    • Save time and energy
    • Create new value-added products to meet evolving consumer trends
    • Increase the operational efficiency of the cheese aging process
    • Allow for quick analysis of A2/A2 milk components
    • Optimize processes to spike production capacity
    • Broaden geographic scope of markets
    • Add new employment positions
    • Reduce waste and minimize environmental impact

    “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.”

    “Washington state is known for producing a diverse portfolio of high-quality, safe agricultural products. Our dairies are an integral part of this success. I’m pleased Chimacum Valley Dairy is a Pacific Coast Coalition – Dairy Business Innovation Initiative grant recipient. The grant will create opportunities for them to not only continue producing top-tier products but also modernize their equipment to make their operation more efficient.” – Derek Sandison, Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture

    Recently receiving an additional $1.8 million to support the resilience and viability of the Pacific Coast’s dairy industry, 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 Humboldt, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Chapman University, Chico State, Oregon State University, Oregon Dairy and Nutrition Council, UC Davis, Washington State University, and the California Dairy Innovation Center. This is the third round of grant funding through the PCC-DBII. Via three rounds of funding, PCC-DBII has made nearly $5 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.

    A larger funding opportunity, the fourth round of grant award by the PCC-DBII, will open on January 2, 2024, with at least $4.1M available for more states: Arizona; California; Nevada; New Mexico; Oregon; and, Washington. This fourth round of funding will include pandemic recovery (such as price declines and additional marketing costs due to COVID-19), as the majority of those monies are derived from the federal CARES Act. Applications will be accepted January 2, 2024 – February 29, 2024. For more information: https://www.dairypcc.net/

  • Apply Now for $4.1 Million Innovation Grants to California Dairy Producers, Processors

    California producers and processors are invited to apply for funding up to $1 million for innovation initiatives to become more competitive in a second round of dairy business grant awards recently announced by the Pacific Coast Coalition’s Dairy Business Innovation Initiative (PCC-DBII), hosted by California State University Fresno.

    The PCC-DBII will award funding to assist with innovative dairy product development, production, marketing, and distribution. Dr Carmen Licon, Project Director and Assistant Professor in Food Science and Nutrition at Fresno State said grants will range from $50,000 to $1million with the potential for up to 12 projects selected for funding. Application forms and submission details are available at https://www.dairypcc.net/ with a deadline to submit by February 28, 2023.

    “This second set of grants is larger in size and have the potential for major impact on our California dairy business community,” said John Talbot, CEO of the California Milk Advisory Board. “The scale of available funding allows larger processors to apply for new-to-market projects, while smaller operations and farmstead producers can still apply for projects that will allow them to add value to their milk by developing new products, testing new processes and evaluating feasibility of packaging innovations.”

    CMAB’s California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC), a major partner in the Coalition, has resources to guide qualified California dairy businesses to take advantage of this opportunity. Information and assistance is available by contacting Veronique Lagrange, Director of the CDIC at vlagrange@cmab.net.

    Funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, DBII program funded initiatives focus on product, process and packaging innovation and serve to:

    • Diversify dairy product markets to reduce risk and develop higher value uses for dairy products,
    • Promote business development that diversifies farmer income through processing and marketing innovation, and
    • Encourage the use of regional milk production.

    Grants are available to anyone operating a dairy farm or dairy processing plant in California but focus on product, process, packaging innovation for dairy manufacturing. This includes feasibility studies and workforce training. Proposals can include requests for funding for qualified equipment, feasibility studies, innovation in packaging as well as training of the workforce.  This is a reimbursement program with applicants reimbursed upon presentation of invoices/receipts for approved projects.

    The CDIC’s Steering Committee, which includes representatives of California Dairies Inc., California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dairy Management Inc., Fresno State University, Hilmar Cheese, Leprino Foods, and UC Davis assisted in the thorough review process and recommended funding applications based on objective criteria.

    About the California Dairy Innovation Center
    The California Dairy Innovation Center (CDIC) coordinates pre-competitive research and educational training in collaboration with industry, check-off programs, and research/academic institutions in support of a common set of innovation and productivity goals. The CDIC is guided by a Steering Committee that includes California Dairies Inc., California Dairy Research Foundation, California Milk Advisory Board, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, Dairy Management Inc., Fresno State University, Hilmar Cheese, Leprino Foods, and UC Davis.

    About the Pacific Coast Coalition Dairy Business Initiative (PCC-DBII)

    The PCC-DBII 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.