Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the return of the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant program, offering matching funds of up to $25,000 to support farmers, businesses, and nonprofits in enhancing and diversifying Iowa-grown, raised, and made agricultural products. These grants aim to increase local food options while driving economic activity within Iowa communities.
“Choose Iowa continues to build momentum because consumers are driving strong demand for local Iowa products. Choose Iowa grants help farmers and small businesses add value, tap into new markets, and enhance consumer choice, all while generating economic activity within our communities,” said Mr. Naig. “We welcome applications for creative and innovative projects that can benefit from this Choose Iowa grant to expand the availability of Iowa grown, raised, and made food, beverages, and ag products.”
According to a release, the grant program provides funding for a range of projects that add value to the crops, livestock, and other products that they produce. This can include adding on-farm stores, improving cold storage for direct-to-consumer sales, and upgrading commercial kitchens for processing seasonal produce.
Funds can also support employee training and continuing education. However, projects involving meat or dairy processing are ineligible, as these are covered under separate programs such as the Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant and Dairy Innovation Grant.
In recent years, interest in the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant program has surged, with nearly $2.4 million in requests submitted across 2023 and 2024. The program awarded grants to 28 recipients in 2023 and 26 in 2024, supporting initiatives to expand cold storage, processing, distribution, and production capabilities across the state.
Eligible applicants include individuals, businesses, and nonprofits operating or living in Iowa, with preference given to small to medium-sized enterprises.
Applications must be submitted through the Choose Iowa online portal by noon on Jan. 31, 2025. Grant recipients will be announced in April 2025.
For more information about the program, including application details and matching fund requirements, visit the Choose Iowa website. Questions can be directed to chooseiowagrant@iowaagriculture.gov.
