By Andi Anderson
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is offering Choose Iowa value-added grants to expand the availability of Iowa grown, raised, and made foods, beverages, and other agricultural products. Grants match up to $25,000 per project.
Farmers, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are currently living or operating in Iowa may apply for the grants. Preference will be given to small to medium-sized businesses.
Applicants can use Choose Iowa grant funding to add new processing, packaging, or sales techniques that add value to the crops, livestock, and other products that they produce. For example, a farmer may invest in an on-farm store or cold storage to sell meat, eggs, or produce directly to consumers, or a produce grower may upgrade their commercial kitchen to process larger quantities of seasonal produce at the peak of freshness. Grant funding can also be used for employee training and continuing education programs.
In its first two years, the Choose Iowa grant program received hundreds of applications totaling nearly $3.3 million in requests. Thirteen awardees were selected in 2022, and twenty-eight recipients were awarded in 2023.
Applications should be submitted through the online portal on the Choose Iowa website and are due by 12:00 p.m. on December 15, 2023. Grant recipients will be announced in March 2024. Questions about the Choose Iowa value-added grants can be directed to chooseiowagrant@iowaagriculture.gov.
Photo Credit: gettyimages-ron_thomase+
Categories: Iowa, Crops