By Madison Berry, Agricultural Development Specialist
Since 2022, the On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant has been one of NE-DBIC’s most popular programs.
This grant offers funding to dairy farmers for specialized equipment including milk storage tanks, pipelines, loading systems, glycol chillers, plate coolers, heat exchangers, and more. The goal is to improve milk storage, handling, and energy efficiencies.
In 2024, 20 dairy farms received grants ranging from $15,000 to $50,000. Here’s a look at four of those projects:
Britton Farm – Walpole, NH
Britton Farm received $50,000 to purchase and install a 2000-gallon bulk tank, condensing unit, plate heat exchanger, and a wash system. Their upgrade saved energy through increased efficiency, improved quality through quicker cooling, and improved the ergonomics of pickup for their haulers. It also saved money on repairs, directly impacting their bottom line.
“Now we are able to make more and higher quality milk to send to Agri-Mark,” said farmer Lawrence Britton. It also made keeping their farm running just plain easier. “We don’t have to wake up in the middle of the night to check to see if the milk is chilling anymore.”
Myerwood Farm – Pilesgrove, NJ
Seventh and eighth generation farmers at Myerwood Farm received $50,000 to purchase and install four compressors and condensers, a dual purchase wash vat, a dual pass plate cooler, a variable speed pump, and two heat recovery systems. These upgrades led to big changes. The new compressors and condensers helped to reduce breakdowns and improve cooling speed, while new Opti-stor heatd recovery tanks turned condenser heat into warm water for cows to drink. Combined with the new dual-pass plate cooler, this full-system upgrade saves money, energy, and stress.
“Usually every summer I had to keep a close eye on the compressors, especially on very hot days,” says farmer Melanie Richman. “It has been much less stressful knowing our milk is being cooled quickly and reliably.”
Seeing the full-scale impact of the grant also changed the way Melanie and her family look at their farm. “This grant has taught us to look to improve our dairy management using a system-based approach. We are already evaluating what system area on the dairy we want to improve next.”
JASA Family Farm – Newport, VT
JASA Family Farm in Newport, VT received $50,000 to purchase a 1600-gallon bulk tank and plate cooler for their freestall barn. The new equipment and an upgraded water system let them consolidate milking operations onto one site and shift to every other day pickup.
Milk production went up with increased efficiency and better systems, despite a decreased herd size. JASA Family Farm increased the amount of milk shipped, improved milk quality, increased cow comfort, and benefitted from labor efficiency improvements. They’re saving thousands of dollars a year on energy and hauling costs, but that’s not even the biggest benefit.
“By consolidating our herds, making these system improvements, and being less spread thin managing two farms, we are now able to focus on projects and practices that will continue to increase milk production and our profitability,” said farmer John “Andy” Andrews. “We have more time to spend on cow health, soil health, nutrient management and bookkeeping. And less stress!”
Longway Farms – Swanton, VT
Longway Farms received $42,714.93 to install a 4000-gallon bulk tank, new condenser units, and a high-speed pump to address inefficiencies in milk hauling and storage. The bigger tank means fewer wash cycles and less interruption in milking, and a more efficient cooling system has led to higher quality milk. But even the milk hauler is feeling the improvements of this project: Agri-Mark’s loading time decreased from a full hour to just over 30 minutes, making a huge impact in efficiency down the supply chain.
The upgrade also made the farm eligible for the AgriMark Hauling Program and an increase in their per CWT payment, making this project a true win/win.
The Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center was established in the 2018 Farm Bill and is funded through the USDA-AMS. The first extension of the 2018 Farm Bill ensured NE-DBIC funding for specific grants through 2027. Until a new Farm Bill is authorized, and depending on funding levels, the On-Farm Milk Storage & Handling Grant will not be offered again.
