Help Cornet Custard Overcome Grant Freeze

Breaking News!

The USDA Dairy Initiative Grant and federal fund freeze has been lifted! I just got confirmation that grants and reimbursements are reinstated. Now, we wait with bated breath to see how and when these funds roll out.

A huge thank you to everyone who donated to our GoFundMe—your generosity is creating a much-needed cushion as we navigate this process. We are beyond grateful and hope to pay it forward in the future.

This moment proves the power of community and the importance of holding any administration accountable. Our voices matter. Let’s keep using them!

If you would like your donation reimbursed, please reach out to me directly through GoFundMe or DM us on Instagram cornetcustard

Hello, my name is Mika Paredes, and I am the chef and owner of Cornet Custard in Portland, Oregon. I am creating this GoFundMe page because we have been directly impacted by the federal grant freeze due to administrative shifts in Washington, D.C.

I was recently awarded a grant through the Pacific Coast Dairy Initiative, a USDA-backed program designed to support dairy processing facilities like Cornet Custard. This grant— $17,435—helped us purchase a freestanding freezer, allowing us to increase production, strengthen relationships with local dairy farms, and further invest in high-quality, locally sourced dairy.

This initiative wasn’t just for us—many small dairy farmers and processors also received funding, with grants tailored to their specific equipment needs. The process ensured accountability: recipients had to purchase, install, and fully operationalize the equipment before receiving reimbursement. For many of us, this meant fronting a significant financial investment while awaiting repayment, which was supposed to be processed within 30 days.

Then, last Friday afternoon, I received devastating news: all USDA grants, including the Pacific Coast Dairy Initiative, have been frozen. Which left us with the remaining balance of $8,717.50. This amount may seem small, but we are a company of a total of 4 people, including myself. Cornet was also self-funded with no outside investors. So this amount hits hard, and we are not even in our 9th month of operations.

I think it is also important to mention that this isn’t just about dairy—this freeze affects all agricultural funding nationwide.

For small businesses like mine and for the farmers who provide the food we eat every day, this is a crisis. Farmers in the Willamette Valley, Idaho potato growers, Midwestern grain producers, and even those relying on imported seeds, vegetables, and fruits from Mexico and Canada are being hit hard. Tariffs and trade restrictions will only make this worse—expect rising grocery costs and fewer fresh, affordable produce options.

This Isn’t Just About Politics

Let’s be clear: this is about food security, economic stability, and the survival of small businesses and family farms.

As a Small Business Owner, I’m Using My Platform to Educate and Advocate

Cornet Custard is more than just a business—it’s a community space where everyone is welcome. As a woman, a Mexican American, and someone who has devoted their life to hospitality and the service industry, I believe in the power of food to bring people together and in our responsibility to support the hands that grow and produce it.