Baldwin Successfully Pushes Trump to Release Wrongfully Withheld Funding for Dairy Farmers

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced she successfully pushed President Trump’s United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to restart payments already committed to Dairy Business Innovation (DBI) Initiative recipients with no strings attached. Last week, Baldwin demanded the Trump Administration release the funding that was approved by Congress on a bipartisan basis, signed into law, and already awarded to farmers but had been halted at the direction of the Trump Administration – taking $6.5 million from 88 dairy businesses– including 30 businesses in Wisconsin. Baldwin followed up on last week’s demand with a phone call this morning to the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture, Brook Rollins. On the call, Rollins confirmed that the funding would be released imminently. DBI grants help dairy businesses diversify their products, market their products, and grow their businesses.

“Donald Trump is looking everywhere he can to find funding he can use to give tax cuts to millionaires, including stiffing hardworking Wisconsin farmers and dairy businesses,” said Senator Baldwin. “While this is welcome news, Donald Trump and Elon Musk created a totally unnecessary problem and caused undue financial stress on hardworking Wisconsin farmers who are already operating on tight margins.”

“Throughout this worrisome week, Senator Tammy Baldwin rallied Congressional allies and amplified the voices of dairy farmers and processors for the swift release of Dairy Business Innovation Initiatives funding.  Her action has helped to save family farms, protect good-paying jobs, and provide a measure of stability for rural economic drivers in tumultuous times. We are so grateful for Senator Baldwin’s impactful leadership and consistent commitment to supporting the dairy industry,” said Rebekah Sweeney, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association senior director of programs and policy.

In addition to the 88 dairy businesses across the Midwest waiting on a collective $6.5 million in reimbursements for funds appropriated in Fiscal Year 2023, the Wisconsin Initiative was told they may not receive funding they were guaranteed for Fiscal Year 2024 – despite having already expended nearly $500,000. Across the four Baldwin-championed DBI centers, 420 dairy businesses were affected by the decision to pause reimbursement, with over $28 million expected.

Senator Baldwin successfully created the DBI program in the 2018 Farm Bill. To date, the Baldwin-backed program has supported over 250 dairy farmers and processors in the Midwest, including 109 in Wisconsin. Earlier this month, Senators Baldwin and Blackburn (R-TN) introduced the Dairy Business Innovation Act of 2025, bipartisan legislation that builds on the support for regional dairy research and innovation centers across the country by raising the program’s annual authorization from $20 million to $36 million.

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