Governor Doyle Announces $40,000 Value Chain Grant to Packerland Whey Products

News Date April 09, 2007

Governor Jim Doyle announced recently that Packerland Whey Products, Inc., of Luxembourg, Wisc., received a $40,000 Value Chain Grant to assist with a new engineering process of converting whey permeate into ethanol. "Wisconsin's innovative dairy processors continue to lead the nation in finding ways to convert whey - what was once considered a waste product--into a valuable agricultural product. This grant is a prime example of why Wisconsin is a leader in bioenergy," Doyle said.
        
Grant funds will assist Packerland Whey Products with furthering their engineering of producing ethanol at its existing livestock feed production facility. Since March 2006, the company has researched the feasibility of ethanol production using lactose as a sugar source in conversion to alcohol.
        
The company expects to produce six million gallons of fuel ethanol per year.
        
The Value Chain Grant is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) through its Value Added Dairy Initiative. The program is funded with federal dollars with the leadership of Senator Herb Kohl and Rep. Dave Obey, and matched by in-kind contributions of agencies and organizations within Wisconsin's dairy sector.
        
The Grow Wisconsin Dairy Team is a joint venture between DATCP, the Wisconsin Department of Commerce, UW Center for Dairy Profitability, UW Extension and Wisconsin Technical Colleges.
        
To learn more, visit http://www.GrowWisconsinDairy.org or contact Jim Cisler at 608/224-5137. (Contact: Jeanne Carpenter, 608/224-5115)