The Dairy Innovation Hub provides $7.8M in state funding per year for broadly-defined dairy research at UW–Madison, UW–Platteville and UW–River Falls.

The funding will support research personnel, farms and labs in four areas related to dairy that each span many academic disciplines:

• Stewarding land and water resources
• Enriching human health and nutrition
• Ensuring animal health and welfare
• Growing farm businesses and communities

Learn more about Dairy Innovation Hub funding opportunities at UW–Madison

For general information, funding and programming opportunities at each campus, visit dairyinnovationhub.wisc.edu 

Structure

The organizational chart includes an advisory council, comprised of industry and university representatives, a leadership committee, made up of the three deans, and local steering committees at UW–Madison, UW–Platteville and UW–River Falls.

A faculty director and a full-time program manager work closely with industry partners, deans, faculty and other scientists at the three campuses to coordinate research, teaching and outreach efforts.

History

On Thursday, November 7, 2019 the deans of the colleges of agriculture at UW–Madison, UW–Platteville and UW–River Falls formally launched the newly funded Dairy Innovation Hub with a conference call that included members of the initiative’s advisory council. The council is made up of representatives identified by each campus as well as the Dairy Business Association, Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin, Wisconsin Cheese Makers Association and Wisconsin Farm Bureau Federation. Read more.

The Dairy Innovation Hub is based on legislation originally introduced by Senator Howard Marklein and Representative Travis Tranel on May 1, 2019 and the original Dairy Innovation Hub concept that was endorsed 27-1 by the Dairy Task Force 2.0 in Dec. 2018. The original legislation directed 52% of the funding to UW–Madison CALS and 24% each to UW–Platteville and UW–River Falls, home to UW System’s other agricultural programs. This represents a significant increase in state funding for agricultural research at each of the three campuses.

Contact Us

Heather White, faculty director
associate professor of animal and dairy sciences, UW–Madison
(608) 263-7786
heather.white@wisc.edu
934b Animal Science Building
1675 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706

Maria Woldt, program manager
Media, events, general information
(608) 265-4009
maria.woldt@wisc.edu
266 Animal Science Building
1675 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706

Elisabeth Berndt, administrative specialist
RFPs, pre- and post-award management, financial information
(608) 264-0751
elisabeth.berndt@wisc.edu
282 Animal Science Building
1675 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706

Jori Skalitzky, communications specialist
Social media, website, feature stories and news
(608) 265-8935
jori.skalitzky@wisc.edu
287 Animal Science Building
1675 Observatory Dr.
Madison, WI 53706