Widmer’s Cheese Cellars Receives Dairy Processor Grant

On December 4, Governor Tony Evers and the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) announced the 13 recipients of the 2026 Dairy Processor Grant. One of those recipients was Widmer’s Cheese Cellars, which was awarded the maximum grant amount of $50,000.

According to the DATCP, the grant’s goal is to “foster innovation, improve profitability and sustain long-term viability of Wisconsin’s dairy processing facilities.”

“We received the $50,000 grant funding for the design, engineering and architectural plans for a new intake/whey loadout facility,” explained Widmer’s Vice President of Operations, Joey Widmer.

The grant will not fund the intake itself or the construction, as grant recipients are permitted to use the funds to hire consultants for guidance on a variety of business needs, including food safety and modernization.

“We applied for the grant because our current intake/whey loadout facility is outdated, as it is over 50 years old and will be in need of structural repair,” stated Widmer. “We are planning on getting plans to modernize the intake to meet current food safety requirements [and to] allow larger quad-axle tankers and potentially semi-tankers to utilize the facility.”

“We also want to plan for the potential increase in production capacity for Widmer’s in the future,” Widmer continued. “We are grateful to our customers, patrons, and the State of Wisconsin for giving us funding to continue supporting Wisconsin’s rich dairy heritage.”