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Northeast Dairy Business innovation Center Process Modernization Grant Due Aug. 14

Dairy Processor Modernization Grant

Projects funded through this grant will focus primarily on upgrading or adding specialized dairy processing or packaging equipment that is necessary for business growth and viability. Funded projects will address one or more of the following areas:

• Expanded processing capacity: Replacement or addition of equipment that is appropriately scaled for processors’ growth projections. Projects that will significantly expand production capacity, increase utilization of regionally sourced milk, dairy components, or dairy mix, increase production capacity, and meet a market demand.
• Increased facility efficiencies: Replacing outdated equipment with scale-appropriate specialized equipment that will significantly address efficiencies in labor hours, cost of production, resource/energy usage, and food safety hazards.
• Implementation of packaging improvements: Replacement or addition of equipment that will demonstrably reduce packaging waste and/or the use of virgin plastics, reduce supply chain waste, or reduce waste through extended/improved product shelf life.

Projects funded through this grant will focus primarily on acquiring specialized equipment. Additional activities related to training, business planning services, professional consultants, marketing, or supply chain logistics that directly support the project may be incorporated. Evidence of technical assistance from a service provider or business planner involved in the project will make applications more competitive.

The Northeast region, for the purposes of NE-DBIC programs, includes the following states: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Awards
Grants will range from $15,000 to $250,000 with a 25% (cash or in-kind) match commitment required. At least 75% of grant funds must be used for eligible specialized equipment purchases.

Total funds available: $1,000,000.

1. Transforms raw milk or dairy components into an edible product meant for human consumption
2. Is licensed in a way that their dairy products can be sold across state lines
3. Is headquartered or based in the Northeast
4. Sources or produces milk or dairy components from within the Northeast
5. Manufactures products within the Northeast

Applicants will qualify into tiers outlined below based on milk utilized on an average production day, regardless of the number of days per week they process. Volume may differ based on the product made and processors should reference the volume measurement for their specific product. Volume is a measurement of inputs and not finished products.

How to Apply
Applications will be open June 26 to August 14, 2025.

1. Once it is released, review the full Request for Applications (RFA) for the complete details on eligible projects/applicants and the full application process. The RFA is expected to be posted in June 2025.
2. Register in WebGrants (may take up to two business days).
3. Complete your application in WebGrants using our Application Guide.
4. Applicants who do not already have a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) through SAM.gov are strongly encouraged to start this process during the application period to ensure a timely start to their grant, if awarded.

Toplands Farm Show October 18, Roxbury

Northeast Greenhouse and Conference and Expo Nov 12-13 in NH

Save the date for the largest greenhouse educational event and trade show in the Northeast! This fall, we will be back in downtown Manchester, New Hampshire within easy walking distance to local shops and restaurants.

Northeast Greenhouse Conference and Expo
November 12 & 13, 2025
DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown Hotel and Expo Center

Exhibitor and Sponsor Registration is open now. This year we are excited to have a larger exhibit hall.

Educational topics will include floriculture production, herbaceous perennials and native plants, business and marketing, Spanish language sessions, and pest and disease management. A detailed schedule of educational topics will be available in the second half of June.

Attendee registration will open in late July.

The biennial Northeast Greenhouse Conference & Expo is co-sponsored by New England Floriculture, Inc. – a group of grower representatives from the Northeast, augmented by University and Cooperative Extension staff in each state who specialize in greenhouse crops and management.

Learn more here.

Food Export-Midwest and Food Export-Northeast are conducting the second annual Summer in the Cities Buyers Mission! This year, the event will include three stops: Chicago, IL, Columbus, OH, and Jersey City, NJ. This mission is a standalone, flagship event of Food Export that does not take place in conjunction with a trade show.

Position yourself and your products in front of 20+ pre-qualified, experienced international buyers who continue to seek the latest food trends and products from the United States.

Learn more here.

SFA Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC at Javitz Center June 29-July 1

The Summer Fancy Food Show in NYC is the industry’s premier product discovery event, offering a curated showcase of high-quality, artisan products in more than 40 categories—and an invaluable preview of where consumers’ needs, wants, and values are headed. From today’s demands for gluten-free and vegan alternatives to emerging trends like swicy drinks to protein-centric snacks, this Show has it all.

Be there to experience the future of food with thousands of your peers in the incredible specialty food community. Whether you’re a retail or foodservice buyer, distributor, broker, or manufacturer, you’ll build new connections and strengthen existing ones over three days of delicious discovery, fruitful networking, and inspiring opportunities.

Learn more or register here.  $149-$199.

Solid Ground Twilight Urban Farming Series: Herbalism and Teas, Stamford June 13

Registration link here.

• “Entomopathogenic Nematodes for Plum Curculio Control” (~15 minutes)
  • Jaime Pinero – UMass Extension
• “Codling Moth and Oriental Fruit Moth Management” (~15 minutes)
  • Ajay Giri – UMass Extension
• “Managing Summer Fruit Rot Diseases in Tree Fruit” (~15 minutes)
  • Elizabeth Garafalo – UMass Extension
• “UConn Fruit and IPM Update” (~15 minutes)
  • Evan Lentz and Mark Nelson – UConn Extension

Veteran Farmers Market- Vendors and Makers sought- Aug 4 in Rocky Hill

Join veterans August 4, 2025, for a farmers market featuring products from Connecticut’s Veteran Farmers. You’ll shop from a variety of products, from fruits and veggies to wine and baked goods, all grown by the state’s Veteran Farmers. There will also be food trucks owned by Veteran Farmers, ready to serve up snacks and a delicious meal.

The market will be held on the beautiful Connecticut Veterans Affairs campus in Rocky Hill, and there will be a special performance by RipChord, the 102d Army Band of the Connecticut National Guard, from 4-5pm in the Auditorium.

Vendor Sign-Up

Veteran Farmers and Makers Wanted

• Deadline to sign up is June 30, 2025.
• Limited space is available.
• Vendor spaces are free to Veteran Farmers, Makers, and Food Purveyors.
• Health permit requirements as applicable.
• The Market will be outdoors; if there is inclement weather, it will be held in the Auditorium.
• Insurance coverage required.

Sign up here: Veteran Farmers Market – Connecticut Veteran Grown

Live Animal Carcass Evaluation 2-part series May 9 and May 30, Terryville CT