Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association -
Establishing a Dairy Goat Research Herd in Wisconsin; A Comprehensive Feasibility Study for Public and Private Funding
The overall object is to conduct a feasibility study for creating a dairy goat research herd in Wisconsin. The Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association believes that this study represents a first step in establishing a research herd that will serve interests in Wisconsin and many producers and processors in the northern climate of the US.
As part of the feasibility study, fundamental issues must be answered prior to the establishment of a dairy goat research herd in Wisconsin – these include the following:
(1) Financial issues;
(2) Technical purpose of the research herd;
(3) Creation of appropriate infrastructure; and
(4) Ongoing partnerships.
The nine-month long feasibility study is designed to collect and analyze information in all four of these categories and present it to interested stakeholders such that a “go” or “no-go” decision for establishment of the herd can be made in 2009. A senior levelconsultant will guide the completion of the study, with the help of a working group consisting of private and public sector representatives.
Four organizations will provide the majority of expertise for the feasibility study, and their in-kind contributions are noted as part
of the proposal: Wisconsin Dairy Goat Association (proposal manager); WI Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer
Protection; University of Wisconsin-Platteville; and Cooperative Resource International. Additionally, there may be as many as 40
others involved in the study, including dairy goat producers, processors, feed companies, equipment manufacturers, veterinary
schools, neighboring state’s goat associations, related research organizations, and financial institutions.