Hoosier dairy operations land Dairy Business Innovation Alliance grants
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A Mt. Vernon ice cream maker and a Martinsville maker of goat milk products each have received grants from the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance to expand their businesses.
JB’s Barnyard in Mt. Vernon was awarded $100,000 to purchase ice cream machinery, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture said. Risin’ Creek Creamery in Martinsville was awarded $49,206 for a fluid milk bottle filler.
The grants were among 39 totaling more than $3.3 million awarded by the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance, a partnership between the Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and the Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin. The alliance supports small and midsize dairy processors in 11 Midwestern states.
“We are delighted to be able to assist the growth of our regional cheese plants and small dairy businesses; once again farmsteads were an important focus,” Center for Dairy Research Director John Lucey said in a news release. “We are also happy to help companies with their exports and sustainability challenges.”
JB’s Barnyard, about 10 miles west of Evansville, plans to expand its wholesale ice cream business. The dairy producer makes 16% butterfat ice cream that is available from its mobile ice cream trucks at private events or at various wholesale locations.
“JB’s Barnyard is a dream of ours, and by receiving this funding from the Dairy Business Innovation Alliance we will be able to further expand our offerings to wholesale locations beyond our local region,” said Briley Simpkins of JB’s Barnyard.
Risin’ Creek Creamery, about 35 miles southwest of Indianapolis, plans to grow its goat milk processing and expand into drinkable yogurts. The dairy producer makes goat cheese, goat milk feta, a goat milk caramel sauce and several hard cheeses from its herd of Nubian goats.
“We are so honored to be the recipient of this very sought-after grant from DBIA,” said Tim Vanzant of Risin’ Creek Creamery. “Our goat business started as a 4H project in 1984, but now has grown to encompass three generations of our family!”
The Dairy Business Innovation Alliance was created in the 2018 federal Farm Bill and is supported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Since 2022 the alliance has awarded more than $833,000 to 10 Indiana dairy businesses, the news release said.
Indiana is home to more than 800 dairy farms, 97% of which are family owned, according to American Dairy Association Indiana.