Innovating Dairy: Demonstrating Niche Markets for Iowa Producers

Commodities

Practices

This project aims to partner with successful niche market dairy herds in Iowa to demonstrate best practices and develop educational materials for emerging farms. The project will address sustainability by promoting economic opportunities, environmental practices, and rural community growth. It targets small dairy farms, including traditionally underserved and underrepresented producers, who face barriers to market entry due to limited cooperative access. By exploring niche markets for dairy products like cheese, gelato, and non-edible items, producers can achieve higher profitability and adopt sustainable practices such as increased biodiversity and efficient waste management.

Year 1 will focus on data collection and feasibility reviews from five partner farms. In Year 2, the project will offer on-farm demonstrations, ice cream and cheese-making workshops, and two one-day conferences. A comprehensive online course will be available for producers across the Midwest, extending the project’s impact.

The project will produce educational materials including fact sheets, PowerPoint presentations, and online modules. Through a combination of in-person and virtual tools, the project will provide dairy producers with the knowledge and resources to explore profitable niche markets, fostering system changes and enhancing rural economies.

The primary objective of this project is to partner with successful niche market dairy herds in Iowa to demonstrate best practices and develop educational materials for emerging farms. Secondary objectives include:

1. Conduct feasibility reviews for goat and cattle producers using data from partner herds.
2. Provide actionable feedback for partner herds and build resources for emerging producers.
3. Develop in-person and virtual curricula, including demonstrations with partner herds, workshops and trainings, and an online course.