Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship

What Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship does

Dairy Grazing Alliance (DGA), operating through its 501(c)(3) Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship program, is the first formal agricultural Apprenticeship registered with the U.S. Department of Labor. Founded in 2010 and headquartered in Wisconsin, the organization runs a two-year paid apprenticeship combining 3,700+ hours of on-farm employment with 300+ hours of online instruction, producing Journey Dairy Grazier-certified graduates. It operates a network of 200+ approved mentor farms across 16 states, supports ~59 active apprentices and a pipeline of ~120 candidates, and counts nearly 70 graduates, roughly a third of whom have taken over or are working toward taking over their apprenticeship farms.

The portfolio spans five integrated offerings: the registered Apprenticeship; the Managed Grazing Innovation Center (MGIC), an online learning platform delivering six core courses in English and Spanish at $250 per course toward a Managed Grazing Dairy Certificate; PaddockTrac, a sonar-based forage measurement device piloted with the University of Missouri and being deployed to 40 Wisconsin farms via an NRCS cooperative agreement; Graze Magazine, a publication for graziers acquired in April 2024 by for-profit subsidiary DGA Innovations, Inc.; and the New Dairy Concept, a cluster-farm incubator model grouping 15-20 small farms to share resources and reach commercial scale.

Revenue is overwhelmingly grant-driven. DGA is funded primarily through USDA programs (Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities $4.7M, NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant, AgVets), with secondary support from philanthropic foundations (Otto Bremer Trust, Brookby, Cedar Tree) and corporate partners (Organic Valley, Whole Foods, Cabot). Direct revenue from MGIC course fees, Graze subscriptions, branded merchandise, and individual donations is marginal. The November 2024 launch of the Dairy Grazing Alliance as an umbrella body, combined with February 2026 senior hires in corporate partnerships, sustainability modeling, and advancement, signals a deliberate shift toward CPG/supply-chain monetization and broader sector-development positioning.

Name

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship

Legal name

Dairy Grazing Alliance

Website

https://dga-national.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Dairy Grazing Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit running the first DOL-registered agricultural apprenticeship in the U.S., pairing aspiring dairy farmers with 200+ mentor farms across 16 states through paid on-farm training, MGIC online courses, and PaddockTrac forage technology.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Apprenticeship & Workforce Development

NAICS

Apprenticeship Training (611513), Dairy Cattle and Milk Production (112120), Farm Management Services (115116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Agricultural Prod-Livestock & Animal Specialties (200), Agricultural Services (700)

akta.pro primary industry

Animal Husbandry, Dairy & Livestock Management (EDAOAOAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agribusiness, Farm Management & Compliance (EDAOAOAN), Agricultural Production & Farm Operations (EDAOAOAA)

Keywords

• Dairy grazing apprenticeship
• Managed grazing education
• Agricultural workforce training
• Grass-based dairy farming
• Farmer mentorship programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Usk

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Government Grants & USDA Funding: DGA receives significant funding from USDA programs including the Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities ($4.7M project), USDA NIFA Beginning Farmer and Rancher Development Program, USDA NRCS Conservation Innovation Grant, Enhancing Agricultural Opportunities for Military Veterans (AgVets), and Farm Service Agency loans for apprentices.
2. Merchandise & Product Sales: DGA operates an online shop selling branded merchandise including work jackets, t-shirts, beanies, hoodies, totes, and mesh hats under both the Alliance and Apprenticeship product lines.
3. Donations & Philanthropic Support: DGA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that accepts tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations. Donations support farmer training, grazing education, and the future of dairy.
4. Graze Magazine Publication: DGA Innovations, Inc. (a for-profit subsidiary) acquired Graze Magazine in April 2024. The publication is available by subscription and is dedicated to graziers, published 10 times per year.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship (DGA) operates the nation's first formal agricultural apprenticeship registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, offering a two-year paid apprenticeship that combines 3,700 hours of on-farm training under approved mentor graziers with 300+ hours of online instruction through the Managed Grazing Innovation Center (MGIC). Graduates earn certification as Journey Dairy Graziers with pathways to farm management, equity earning, and farm transfer. The organization also runs an online learning platform, an acquired publication (Graze Magazine), on-farm forage measurement technology (PaddockTrac), and an incubator business model (New Dairy Concept).

Product overview

Dairy Grazing Alliance (DGA) is a farmer-led organization offering an integrated portfolio of programs to advance managed dairy grazing in the United States. The core offering is the Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship—a federally registered two-year apprenticeship combining on-farm training with online education through the Managed Grazing Innovation Center (MGIC). Supplementary offerings include Graze Magazine (acquired in April 2024), the PaddockTrac forage measurement technology, and the New Dairy Concept incubator model. These programs work together to provide workforce training, online education, technology tools for pasture management, market development resources, and a peer-reviewed publication for the grazing community.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Graze Magazine: Publication dedicated to graziers, covering management-intensive rotational grazing and family-scale livestock farms. Founded in 2000 by Joel and Ruth McNair.

Products and services

• Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship Program A two-year paid apprenticeship registered with the U.S. Department of Labor, combining 3,700 hours of on-farm employment and training under approved Mentor Dairy Graziers with 300+ hours of related online instruction through MGIC. Graduates earn certification as Journey Dairy Graziers.
• Managed Grazing Innovation Center (MGIC) An online, interactive education platform offering classes for managed grazing production systems, conservation stewardship, and farm business management. Individual courses priced at $250 each; six courses completed within five years earn a Managed Grazing Dairy Certificate.
• PaddockTrac A portable sonar-based device that attaches to an ATV, taking 50 forage density readings per second. Data is processed through a smartphone app and compiled into an online grazing wedge to help farmers make proactive grazing decisions.
• Graze Magazine A monthly publication dedicated to graziers focusing on management-intensive rotational grazing and family-scale livestock farms. Published 10 times per year and available by subscription.
• New Dairy Concept A business incubator model where clusters of 15-20 small, independently owned farms in a 20-mile radius share resources for training, labor, equipment, processing, transportation, and distribution to create commercial-scale milk supply.

Quantifiable outcome

• 750,000+ hours of on-farm training provided since 2010
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• Global Food Traceability Center (IFT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 November 2023The Institute of Food Technologists' Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) is working with DGA on a $4.7M project to create a dairy traceability standard for farm operations, downstream supply chains, and supporting technology partners. The standard will map farm-generated climate attributes and critical product traceability data, similar to a standard GFTC developed for seafood. This is funded through USDA's Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities.
• Organic ValleycoreOthersOrganic Valley is both a market partner (buying milk from grazing dairy farms) and a funder through their Farmers Advocating for Organics (FAFO) program. DGA mentor farms like Mayday Farm supply Organic Valley's supply chain.
• Whole Foods MarketsecondaryOthersWhole Foods Market is listed as a DGA partner, providing market access for grass-fed and organic dairy products produced by DGA mentor and graduate farms.
• Cabot Cheese (Cabot Cooperative)secondaryOthersCabot Cheese is listed as a DGA partner, representing a market channel for dairy grazing farmers within the cooperative model.
• University of MissouricoreTechnology or IntegrationUniversity of Missouri co-piloted PaddockTrac technology with DGA in 2021. The sonar-based forage measurement device was developed through this partnership to help farmers make proactive grazing decisions.
• Grazing Lands Conservation Initiative (GLCI)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerGLCI promotes sustainable grazing practices and is listed as a DGA partner supporting the advancement of managed dairy grazing.
• Pasa Sustainable AgriculturesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerDGA partners with Pasa Sustainable Agriculture on dairy grazing apprentice recruitment and training, with Pasa referring aspiring farmers to the DGA program.
• GrassWorkssecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin-based grazing organization partnering with DGA to advance managed grazing dairy in the region.
• Farm Veteran CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFarm Veteran Coalition (FVC) partners with DGA to support veteran transitions into dairy grazing careers. DGA is listed as veteran-friendly on the FVC website, and veteran Bob Miller's Nice Farms Creamery is featured as a success story.
• Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development - Apprenticeship Section (BAS)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerBAS oversees registered apprenticeship standards in Wisconsin, providing regulatory oversight and support for DGA's Department of Labor-registered apprenticeship program.
• Holistic Management International (HMI)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerHMI provides training content and expertise on holistic farming systems integrated into MGIC course offerings (e.g., the Holistic Farming and Systems Approach course taught by an HMI-certified instructor).
• OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association)secondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio's leading organic farming organization partners with DGA on apprentice recruitment and grazing education in Ohio.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Wolfe's Neck Center for Agriculture & the Environment: A 625-acre Maine-based educational farm with a certified-organic dairy and on-farm apprenticeship program. It serves as a DGA mentor farm and operates a directly comparable model of paid on-farm training combined with classroom instruction.
• Quivira Coalition: A New Mexico-based nonprofit that builds soil, economic, and ecological resilience in Western working landscapes, including through apprenticeships and rancher training programs. It is a closely comparable peer operating a similar apprenticeship-plus-education model for regenerative agriculture.
• Farm Veteran Coalition: A national nonprofit connecting veterans to agricultural careers, including through farmer training and mentorship. As a DGA partner for veteran recruitment, it shares the same target segment (veterans) and similar nonprofit, training-driven mission.
• Pasa Sustainable Agriculture: A Pennsylvania-based nonprofit advancing sustainable farming practices through farmer training, events, and apprenticeship-style programming. Pasa is a direct DGA partner for apprentice recruitment and shares the same model of on-farm workforce development.
• GrassWorks: A Wisconsin-based grazing organization promoting managed grazing dairy and livestock. As a DGA partner, it serves as a regional peer advancing the same mission of expanding managed grazing adoption through farmer education and policy advocacy.
• Holistic Management International (HMI): Provides holistic planned grazing and land management training to farmers and ranchers worldwide, and supplies course content to DGA's MGIC. HMI operates a similar nonprofit, education-led model targeting the same regenerative agriculture audience.
• OEFFA (Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Association): Ohio's leading organic and sustainable agriculture organization, working on organic certification, farmer education, and apprenticeship-style programming. OEFFA is a DGA partner for apprentice recruitment in Ohio, making it a closely comparable regional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Organic Valley: The largest U.S. organic farmer cooperative and a buyer of milk from DGA mentor farms such as Mayday Farm. It is a key market access partner for grazing dairy graduates and shares the regenerative/organic dairy mission, but at a much larger, commercial scale.
• National Center for Appropriate Technology (NCAT): A national nonprofit that delivers sustainable agriculture and energy training, including ATTRA sustainable agriculture programs. It is a broader, more established player in farmer education with overlapping audiences and program methodologies.

Regional players

• Center for Dairy Excellence: A Pennsylvania-based nonprofit supporting dairy farm viability through business consulting, education, and workforce programs. It is a regional peer with overlapping dairy workforce development objectives, though it serves a different geography than DGA's broader multi-state network.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/dairygrazingapprenticeship
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dairy-grazing-apprenticeship

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship