The Pacific Coast Coalition Dairy Business Initiative (PCC-DBII), hosted by California State University, Fresno, will award funding to dairy producers and processors in California, Oregon, and Washington who want to become more innovative in today’s industry.

“In this round for new or used equipment, we encourage applications up to $50,000 so more businesses may benefit,” said PCC Project Director Carmen Licon Cano, Ph.D., “Past grant winners have purchased items like butter churns, pasteurizers, and other items that have increased the profile of dairy while filling a demand for local and artisanal products.” 

To help potential applicants, PCC will host two 2023 virtual “Office Hours” on Thursday, August 10, from 4 p.m. - 5 p.m., and Friday, September 8, from 4 - 5 p.m. The virtual portal for all applications is this Google Form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/17aFJpvqwY5T8IN5HsPdtqufa7raFHJL08je9XVNCURY/edit

PCC “Cowkeeper” Susan Pheasant, Ph.D., notes that a larger funding opportunity will begin in January 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.