The Midwest Dairy Foods Research Center (MDFRC) held its annual meeting on July 31 and August 1stin Minneapolis, Minnesota. This meeting invites the Operational Advisory Committee (OAC) members, faculty, and students to evaluate and score dairy foods research proposals for potential funding. The Center’s OAC comprises the MDFRC director, associate directors, representatives from Dairy Management Inc., Midwest Dairy, dairy producers, and industry sponsors. This group is responsible for recommending overall policies, program goals, and research plans and objectives. During the event, the OAC connected with students from South Dakota State University, Iowa State University, the University of Minnesota, the University of Kansas, the University of Missouri, and the University of Nebraska-Lincon, seeking funding for research proposals that educate about dairy and builds trust among farmers and consumers.
The two-day meeting began with a social gathering and a poster display of all proposed projects. These posters are a good visual outlining the projects, helping the OAC begin to understand the project framework. The OAC can also ask students questions during this time. Student researchers gave a 20-minute explanatory PowerPoint presentation on their proposed project on day two. The OAC then provided feedback on critical needs, objectives, research plan, budget, and project duration. They also recommend additional ideas and funding needs for students to consider. The review process is designed to be interactive and provide an opportunity for feedback and modification to enhance the project.
After careful consideration, four projects were selected for 2025 funding. Learn more about the projects chosen in the winter Dairy Promotion Update magazine hitting mailboxes in December!