Posted Friday, September 14, 2012 --- 7:30 a.m.

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- A non-profit center that's helped support Wisconsin's dairy industry is closing at the end of September.

Agricultural experts credit the Dairy Business Innovation Center for helping develop and promote specialty and artisan cheese in Wisconsin.

The center's 20 consultants have helped more than 200 dairy entrepreneurs and assisted more than 120 projects to increase the state's market share for dairy products. The organization contracted with the consultants to provide dairy plants free or low-cost technical assistance

Founder Dan Carter, in a letter to clients, says the loss of federal funding and no new sources of revenue means the virtual center will close. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (http://tinyurl.com/8v352bt ) says the center opened in 2004 with $1 million in federal help.

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Information from: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, http://www.jsonline.com

Copyright 2012. The Associated Press.