UW-Madison's Dairy Research Center Earns Million Dollar Grant

By CnAgri2012-09-25 19:38:27 Print

The Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research at the University of Wisconsin-Madison has been awarded one of seven $1 million challenge grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce to support an effort to commercialize research ideas that will positively impact economic development. CDR Director John Lucey says his facility, along with state, industry and university partners, will use the federal funds to develop new products for fast-growing Asian markets, create new, higher value uses for cheese and dairy by-products such as whey to grow exports, and develop healthier dairy-based alternatives for school lunch menus.

"We are pleased to receive such a prestigious award," Lucey said. "The CDR strives to go beyond the research lab, partnering with industry to assist dairy companies in developing innovative products and processes that will help them grow. This grant will allow us to enter a new phase and provide for even greater partnership between CDR and the industry."

The effort will get matching support from the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, which will provide $200,000 towards Wisconsin firms that seek to commercialize CDR dairy technologies, and from the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, which will provide access to detailed consumer, marketing and product innovation databases and promotional support.

The i6 Challenge grant program was established in 2010 to encourage economic growth and innovation. The CDR was among seven winning Proof of Concept Centers that will be provided $1 million over a two-year period to help reach its goals, and the first in Wisconsin to win such an award.

The Center for Dairy Research, located in the UW-Madison's College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, supports the U.S. dairy industry through research, technical support, training and education and is largely supported by the national dairy farmer checkoff program.