Maple Hill has been selected to receive up to $20 million from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to grow markets for climate-smart, grass-fed organic dairy. The grant was one of 70 announced on Sept. 14 through the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities program, awarding $2.8 billion in funding to pilot projects that will help build and expand opportunities for consumers to purchase food grown in a climate-friendly way.

The grant will fund a project led by Maple Hill to expand climate-smart markets for our small family dairy farmers and enable a network of partners and producers to further enhance industry leading climate-smart practices by incentivizing implementation and providing training support. This will lead to even more impactful environmental practices and enhanced viability for farms that implement them. 

“As the largest 100% grass-fed dairy business in the U.S., it is incumbent on Maple Hill to continue to develop, implement, and lead best practices in sustainable dairy farming,” said Jim Hau, president of Maple Hill. “All of us involved with the Maple Hill business are excited to receive this funding, which will not only allow us to build on industry best practices for sustainability, but allow us to continue to educate more consumers on why grass-fed organic dairy is better for consumers, the environment, the cows, and the farmers.”

More than a dozen like-minded partners will join Maple Hill in this project including, Dharma Lea, LLC, Paul Harris Development, Stone Barns, Point Blue Conservation Science, DGA Dairy Grazing, Open TEAM at Wolfe’s Neck Center, Shannon O'Sullivan, K&O Farm, James Young, Amber Waves, Spring Weather, Serenity Acres Farm, Evening Star Ranch, Reginelli and Aeschlimann, Adam Tafel, Periggo Farm, and Whole Foods.