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Non-profit

California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF)

Website:

cdrf.org/
Location:

Davis, CA
Tax ID:

68-0158417
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2022):

Revenue: $2,430,110
Expenses: $2,517,679
Assets: $2,861,167
Type:

Research advocacy group
Formation:

1988
Executive Director:

Denise Mullinax

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The California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF) is a nonprofit research organization that researches dairy industry needs related to emerging dairy production technologies as well as dairy nutrition and environmentalist projects. 1

Programs

California Dairy Research Foundation’s environmental management program invests in environmentalist projects and research related to ecological sustainability issues such as water use efficiency, manure treatment processes, and methane reduction, as well as animal welfare. 2

Through the social responsibility program, CDRF funds projects that address animal care, food safety, and disease prevention and engages in outreach with farmers to adopt best practices. 2

CDRF’s food science, nutrition, and health program conducts nutrition-related research for the dairy industry in collaboration with partners such as the Dairy Council of California. The organization also seeks to “foster collaboration between California-based experts and national and international research bodies.” 2

The organization’s “Dairy Plus” program funds emerging technologies that it believes will either improve groundwater protection or reduce methane. The program aims to transform emerging technology into full-scale projects. Funding for the project comes from the CDRF, the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA), and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 3

Research and Conservation

In 2018, CDRF collaborated with researchers from the University of California, Davis to conduct research related to the “economic evaluation of strategies for methane emission reduction effectiveness.” CDFA granted about $213,000 for the research, funding that was made possible by a $250,000 appropriation to CDFA under the Budget Act of 2017-2018. 4 In 2020, the University of California, Davis and the CDRF published research in the Journal of Dairy Science claiming that the environmental impact of California milk production had been reduced over the past 50 years by more than 45 percent. 5

In collaboration with the National Audubon Society, CDRF partnered with the Natural Resources Conservation Service, California Farm Bureau Federation, Dairy Cares, California Dairy Campaign, Milk Producers Council, and Western United Dairies to protect tricolored blackbirds. In 2015, Audubon established a conservation partnership in which dairy farmers were encouraged to delay harvests to allow tricolored blackbird chicks to fledge. Farmers were compensated to help recover losses resulting from the delay. 6

The California Dairy Research Foundation co-hosts the California Dairy Sustainability Summit, a summit that has been held biennially since 2018. During the “Farm Focus” themed summit held in March 2025, discussions included how the California dairy sector could achieve climate neutrality and engage in methane reduction. 7

Financials

In 2022, California Dairy Research Foundation reported total revenue of just over $2.4 million, expenses of about $2.5 million, and net assets of about $2.2 million. In 2022, CDRF distributed several research grants including about $107,000 to Cal Poly Corporation, just over $225,000 to Dairy Cares, and about $34,000 to Dairy Management Inc. 8

In 2022, CDRF, in collaboration with more than 20 other organizations, was one of 70 applicants selected to receive part of $2.8 billion allocated for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities. The project selected for funding, “Partnering to Invest in and Build Markets for California’s Climate-Smart Dairy Producers,” was to work for five years to provide financial incentives for California dairy farmers to adopt environmentalist manure management practices. 9

In 2021, CDRF reported total revenue of just under $1.7 million, expenses of about $2.2 million, and net assets of about $2.2 million. CDRF awarded research grants to several organizations including roughly $877,000 to the Regents of the University of California and approximately $261,000 to Dairy Cares. 10

Leadership

Denise Mullinax is the executive director of the California Dairy Research Foundation and is also the assistant director of the California Dairy Quality Assurance Program. She previously held positions at the University of California Cooperative Extension and Hilmar Cheese Company. She earned an undergraduate degree in animal science and a master’s in agriculture and management from the University of California, Davis. 11

References

  1.  “About Us.” California Dairy Research Foundation. Accessed May 12, 2025. https://cdrf.org/about-us/.
  2. “Programs.” California Dairy Research Foundation. Accessed May 12, 2025. https://cdrf.org/programs/.
  3. “Dairy Plus Program 2024 Applications under Review, Get Ready to Submit Your 2025 Grant Applications!” California Dairy Research Foundation. Accessed May 16, 2025. https://cdrf.org/climate-smart-commodities-grant-info/.
  4. “OARS – Research.” CDFA. Accessed May 12, 2025. https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/oars/research/.
  5. “Research Shows California Dairy Farms Reducing Environmental Footprint.” PR Newswire, February 10, 2020. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/research-shows-california-dairy-farms-reducing-environmental-footprint-301001954.html.
  6. Castañeda, Xerónimo. “Dairies Help Save Tricolored Blackbirds.” Audubon, March 25, 2025. https://www.audubon.org/california/news/dairies-help-save-tricolored-blackbirds.
  7. Hurtado, Michele. “California Dairy Sustainability Summit: Farm Focus Announced for March 2025 in Visalia.” Perishable News, September 26, 2024. https://www.perishablenews.com/dairy/california-dairy-sustainability-summit-farm-focus-announced-for-march-2025-in-visalia/.
  8. California Dairy Research Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2022.
  9. Foundation, California Dairy Research. “California Dairy Research Foundation Awarded $85 Million from USDA for Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities Project.” PR Newswire: press release distribution, targeting, monitoring and marketing, September 19, 2022. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/california-dairy-research-foundation-awarded-85-million-from-usda-for-partnerships-for-climate-smart-commodities-project-301627201.html.
  10. California Dairy Research Foundation, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2021.
  11. “Denise Mullinax, M.S.” International Milk Genomics Consortium, December 24, 2024. https://www.milkgenomics.org/team-member/denise-mullinax/.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 1993

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2022 Dec Form 990 $2,430,110 $2,517,679 $2,861,167 $650,985 N $2,168,564 $0 $-4,277 $0 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $1,698,028 $2,206,276 $2,907,340 $609,597 N $1,573,837 $0 $31,191 $0
    2020 Dec Form 990 $1,924,788 $2,028,253 $3,267,824 $366,266 N $1,873,454 $0 $22,953 $0
    2019 Dec Form 990 $2,216,317 $2,221,446 $3,211,545 $206,522 N $1,800,988 $20,000 $57,807 $151,201 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $2,535,811 $1,706,043 $3,436,709 $426,557 N $2,334,634 $0 $584 $138,959 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $2,046,967 $1,993,803 $3,342,604 $2,203,923 N $2,012,621 $0 $596 $301,314 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $2,358,952 $2,206,277 $3,107,661 $2,022,144 N $2,322,667 $0 $535 $270,192 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $2,779,553 $2,598,306 $2,396,558 $1,463,716 N $2,726,848 $0 $447 $244,904 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $2,410,348 $2,331,284 $1,926,109 $1,174,514 N $2,377,375 $0 $357 $244,904 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $2,050,170 $2,340,619 $1,733,893 $1,061,362 N $2,012,162 $0 $259 $249,231 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $2,560,485 $2,487,953 $1,485,933 $503,952 N $2,475,349 $82,250 $33 $197,740 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990 $2,273,075 $2,296,715 $1,119,472 $502,151 N $2,160,435 $82,450 $0 $223,172 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    California Dairy Research Foundation (CDRF)

    2020 RESEARCH PARK DR
    Davis, CA 95618-6147