The Dairy Advancement Program, in partnership with the New York State Department of Agriculture and Markets and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, is designed to enhance profitability of New York dairy farms while maintaining a commitment to environmentally responsible dairy farming.
Dairy Advancement Program (DAP) grant funds are available for business planning, human resource management, the development of, or update to, Comprehensive Nutrient Management Plans (CNMP), and the design of environmental practices.
New options include funds to support the development and implementation of human resource management practices, funds to install non-contact cooling water reclamation systems, as well as funds to support college student internships in the areas of environmental planning and agricultural engineering.
Farms must have lactating dairy cattle and be shipping milk. Farms and heifer boarding operations under the medium CAFO size may apply for funds to develop or update their farm CNMP. Farms or heifer boarding operations under the large CAFO size may apply for funds to design practices identified in the farm CNMP.
Grant funds are targeted to small and mid-sized dairy farms. Farms of any size may apply for advisory team funds if they are new to an advisory team and funds for non-contact cooling water reclamation systems.