In the months ahead, Congress will be considering requests for 2026 appropriations - that is, funding for key federal programs, including the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives. The House of Representatives is supporting a plan that allocates just $8 million to be shared across the four DBI centers, a significant reduction in funding.
As appropriations plans advance, it is essential that you advocate now for continued - and increased - DBI funding. With just a few clicks, you can message your elected officials, particularly Senate leaders who have yet to weigh in on DBI funding, letting them know you want to see them support this program.
Have questions? Please contact WCMA Senior Director of Programs &amp; Policy Rebekah Sweeney anytime at rsweeney@wischeesemakers.org.
Thank you for your engagement, and your effort!&nbsp;

Appropriations Request: Support Dairy Business Growth

Call on Congress Now to Boost DBII Program Funding

I write today to call on you to take action to secure $36 million in appropriations in Fiscal Year 2026 for the Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiatives.  The House plan advancing through committee offers just $8 million to be shared across the four DBI centers, an amount that severely limits the opportunity for this program to spur industry growth.  We need your support to bring that number up - and to lift up dairy businesses at an extremely challenging time.

International marketplace volatility exacerbated by the recent announcement of new tariffs, a labor shortage on the cusp of crisis, rising operations and ingredients costs, and supply chain disruptions challenge U.S. dairy farmers and dairy processors, and the long-term stability of the $794 billion U.S. dairy industry.

For the U.S. dairy industry to grow, it must become more resilient and more able to innovate.  The critical barrier to these qualities is capital, an issue directly addressed by DBI, funded via the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Agricultural Marketing Service (USDA-AMS). DBI centers provide technical assistance, market analysis, research and development support, education, and targeted, small-dollar, direct-to-business grants for hundreds of America farmers and processors.
 
An investment in DBI is an investment in the future of U.S. dairy and in the rural communities in which farmers and processors do business.  Please take action to ensure businesses like mine can expand and innovate, creating opportunities for others and fulfilling our essential mission: producing delicious, nutritious, safe dairy foods to feed our neighbors and the world.

Thank you!

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