Dairy farmers looking for outside expertise on making decisions in a challenging marketplace could benefit from grants now available through the Center for Dairy Excellence to establish an advisory team.

Those with existing teams or those wanting to establish a team to work in an advisory role can receive reimbursements for paid team members and discovery-related costs.

The center offers grants to help farmers establish a team of advisers to provide insight into the business decision-making process. Teams typically consist of the farm’s most trusted advisers, with a facilitator designated to coordinate meetings and work.

Three types of teams are available to dairy farm families with different grant levels for each:

1. Dairy Profit Teams. Dairy farms with existing profit teams or that establish a new profit team to work in an advisory role can receive up to $2,000 in reimbursements for paid team members and discovery-related costs. The profit team’s function is to serve as a board of advisers for the farm, addressing bottlenecks and identifying opportunities for greater profitability.

2. Dairy Transition Teams. This grant is designed to help the farm establish a team to develop a transition or succession plan. Farms can apply to receive up to $3,000 in funding, which could cover the cost of paid team members, discovery-related costs and attorney expenses.

3. Dairy Transformation Teams. This option allows producers considering a major business transformation to receive up to $5,000 to establish a team to help plan and work through that transformation. The grant may also include additional funding if the farm’s plan involves a renewable energy component.

Farms must complete an application and submit the required $100 application fee to participate in the advisory teams. The center is currently accepting applications for On-Farm Resource Teams for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Once approved, farms can utilize the grant to be reimbursed for any qualified expenses incurred from July 1, 2018, to May 31, 2019.

The center works with the Penn State Extension Dairy Team to offer greater resources to farms involved in team programs, including the Dairy Trend Analyzer Program. Both profit and transition teams have access to additional funding for business planning and environmental compliance, too.

Go online to get more information and access program applications. Or, contact Melissa Anderson at 717-346-0849 or email [email protected].

Source: Center for Dairy Excellence