By Katie Spring, Communications Manager
In 2022, Big Picture Farm received a $147,800 Dairy Packaging Innovation Grant through the Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center (NE-DBIC).
Their project goal was to eliminate virgin plastic from every aspect of their distribution.
“I’m happy to report that, starting in 2025, we will have successfully eliminated virgin plastic from our packaging line, and 100% of our packaging supplies and materials (across all categories) will be zero-waste, meaning they are either curbside recyclable or home compostable,” said Louisa Conrad, co-owner of Big Picture Farm.
Thanks to the NE-DBIC funding, they’ve not only transitioned to more sustainable options for everything from their cheese and caramel wrappers to packaging tape and shipping labels, but they’ve also created an open-source guide for others to use as well.
On making the guide, Conrad said, “We prioritized companies that manufacture the products themselves (versus distributors), and prioritized companies who are US-based and sourcing materials as close to New England as possible. And we also tried to select vendors who have small or at least reasonable minimum order quantities — as this guide was meant especially for other small New England businesses like ours.”
The guide is filled with environmentally friendly packaging options that are recyclable, compostable, and FSC-certified. With a commitment to keeping these resources current, Conrad says, “We will continue to update it as we discover additional suppliers, or as suppliers go off-line. New technologies are materializing in this field every day.”
Access the guide on Big Picture Farm’s website: A Vermont Maker’s Guide to Greener Packaging
The Innovation in Dairy Processing & Packaging Grant is open now through October 31.
Eligible dairy businesses in our 11-state Northeast region can apply for $75,000 to $350,000 for projects that address packaging initiatives, novel processing solutions, and/or increased collaboration.
Find the full eligibility guidelines and Request for Applications on the Innovation in Dairy Processing & Packaging Grant page.
