Some Udder Stuff

Minnesota agriculture takes the stage at Farm Aid 40

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is proud to be a sponsor of the 40th Annual Farm Aid Music Festival, coming to Minnesota on Sept. 20. As Farm Aid marks four decades of supporting family farmers, MDA staff will be on hand offering fun and interactive ways for festivalgoers to connect with Minnesota agriculture and discover resources that support farm families year-round. 

The MDA will host a tent at Farm Aid 40 featuring representatives from the Emerging Farmers Office and Minnesota Grown, helping visitors discover everyday ways to support local farmers year-round. In addition, the MDA will host a Fan Mail for Farmers activity in Farm Aid’s HOMEGROWN Village. There, festivalgoers can learn about some of the daily challenges farmers face and write a postcard of thanks or encouragement to a Minnesota farm family. 

Farm Aid’s work aligns closely with MDA’s mission to enhance all Minnesotans’ quality of life by equitably ensuring the integrity of our food supply, the health of our environment, and the strength and resilience of our agricultural economy.

If you or somebody you know is struggling with mental health, help is available. Call the Minnesota Farm and Rural Helpline at 833-600-2670 or visit minnesotafarmstress.com for resources and support 24/7.

MDA seeks partners to deliver Dairy Profitability program

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture is now accepting applications for the Dairy Profitability Enhancement Grant. This funding is available to regional or statewide organizations to administer and deliver the Dairy Profitability and Enhancement Program.

DPEP is intended to provide information and technical assistance to dairy farms of all sizes to enhance their financial success and long-term sustainability. 

Eligible projects must:

– Offer technical assistance to dairy farms of all sizes delivered individually, as a team, or through other proven methods

– Serve dairy farms located in Minnesota

– Begin only after the grant contract has been signed by all parties and the start date has been reached

– Eligible expenses must directly support the Dairy Profitability Grant program and may include, but are not limited to:

– Staff time and travel (out-of-state travel requires prior approval)

– Promotion of the program

– Staff training and professional development

Equipment and supplies

There is $500,000 available per year in fiscal year 2026 and 2027. Applicants may apply for a minimum of $25,000 and a maximum of $500,000 for each year. All information about the program is available on the program’s webpage. Applications will be accepted until Sept. 24, at 4 p.m.

National dairy board announces college scholarship recipients

The dairy checkoff has awarded 12 academic scholarships to students pursuing degrees with a focus on dairy and demonstrating strong potential as future industry leaders.

The National Dairy Promotion and Research Board, through Dairy Management Inc. – which manages the national dairy checkoff – annually awards $2,500 scholarships to 11 students. In addition, the NDB awards a $3,500 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship to one outstanding scholarship recipient.

Eligible majors include journalism, communications/public relations, marketing, business, economics, nutrition, food science and agricultural education. Criteria include academic achievement, career interest in a dairy-related discipline and demonstrated leadership, initiative and integrity.

Rachel Visser, a student at the University of Minnesota double majoring in Agricultural and Food Business Management and Agricultural Communications and Marketing, has been named the 2025–2026 James H. Loper Jr. Memorial Scholarship recipient.

Local students earning $2,500 scholarships are: Cassie Bohnert (Iowa State University), Katie Ketchum (University of Wisconsin-River Falls), and Jessemy Sharp (South Dakota State University).

For information about how the dairy checkoff is driving sales and building trust, visit www.dairycheckoff.com.

Apply now for Dairy Business Innovation Alliance grants

Applications are open now for direct-to-business grants across two programs offered by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance. A total of approximately $3 million in funding is available to small- to medium-sized dairy farmers, manufacturers, and processors in Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin.

The Dairy Business Builder and Dairy Industry Impact grant programs are administered by DBIA, a partnership between the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and the Center for Dairy Research. Applicants interested in diversifying on-farm activity, creating value-added products, or enhancing dairy byproducts are eligible to apply for the Dairy Business Builder program. Businesses pursuing projects focused on exporting or sustainability with a potential impact on the broader industry can apply for the Dairy Industry Impact grant program. Applicants may apply to both grant programs and are eligible to receive awards of up to $100,000 from each offering. For large equipment expenditures, awards of up to $150,000 may be made due to rising equipment costs.

Application materials for both grant programs are available online now at dbia.wisc.edu. Applications are due by 5 p.m. on Sept. 30. An informational webinar hosted by DBIA staff will be recorded and accessible online throughout the application period.

National DHIA Seeks Scholarship Applicants

The National Dairy Herd Information Association  launched its 2026 scholarship program, which provides $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors and college undergraduate students. Applicants must be full-time, incoming or continuing students at a technical college or a two-year or four-year college/university.

To be eligible for a National DHIA scholarship, the applicant must be a family member or employee of a herd on DHI test, family member of a DHI employee, or employee of a DHI affiliate. The DHI affiliate for the herd or affiliate employee must be a member of National DHIA. Members of National DHIA include AgSource Dairy, Central Counties DHIA, CentralStar Cooperative Inc.-DHI Services, Dairy One Cooperative Inc., DHI Cooperative Inc., Eastern Wisconsin Dairy Herd Improvement Cooperative, Idaho DHIA, Indiana State Dairy Association, Lancaster DHIA, Minnesota DHIA, Rocky Mountain DHIA and United Federation of DHIAs.

The scholarship selection committee will evaluate applicants based on scholastic achievements, leadership, community activities, work experience, knowledge of and experience with DHIA, and responses to questions on the application. Applications are due Oct. 31. Recipients will be announced at the 2026 National DHIA Annual Meeting and Leadership Session.

To apply for a National DHIA scholarship, go to: www.dhia.org/scholarships and download and complete the electronic application form. For more information, contact JoDee Sattler, National DHIA scholarship coordinator, at 414-587-5839 or jdsattler@dhia.org.

National DHIA will award approximately ten $1,000 scholarships. Generous contributions from National DHIA members, friends and supporters help fund these scholarships.