USDA finances dairy industry innovation with $80 million in rescue funds

MONTPELIER Vt. (KYMA, KECY/AP) - United States Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Rep. Peter Welch of Vermont (D-VT At-large District) shared the U.S. Department of Agriculture will allocate $80 million in federal pandemic rescue funds to aid dairy manufacturing innovation.

The nation's four Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives in Calif., Vt., Tenn. and Wis. will have the power of access to up to $20 million each.

According to Sen. Leahy, extra funding came at the right time. Organic farmers in the Northeast are going through the loss of a prime market this year.

Danone, a food company, stated it would stop purchasing milk from 89 organic dairy farms in Vt., Maine., N.H. and N.Y.