Grants of up to $7,500 may be awarded to help dairy farmers get started in business or for existing dairy farmers to transition to or enhance organic or intensively managed grazing operations. Cow, goat or sheep operations may apply. Projects must incorporate financial analysis and planning.

Examples of types of projects might include:

• Professional services costs for grazing system design and financial planning
• Milking parlor engineering
• Engineering and design of water drinking system
• Assist with non-covered conservation planning costs
• Transitioning from conventional dairy to organic
• Transitioning from conventional dairy to grazing
• New farmers staring a dairy operation, or any farmer entering the dairy industry
• New farmers starting an organic dairy
• New farmers staring a grazing-based dairy

The grant application, as well as more information, is available here as a Microsoft Word document or a PDF file.