Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig Thurs announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has awarded over $334,000 in grants to help grow demand for Iowa's specialty crops. The money will be distributed to support 12 programs or projects that raise awareness about, drive demand for, or create new markets benefiting Iowa's specialty crops and is made available through a partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
"Iowa has many specialty crop farmers, producers, and retailers and they do a wonderful job showcasing the diversity of Iowa agriculture," said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. "As locally produced foods remain in great demand and as we work to shorten our supply chains, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship is pleased to partner with USDA to offer grants that help farmers diversify their offerings, expand their distribution channels, and improve marketing methods in ways that encourage consumers to choose Iowa grown products."
The specialty crop block grants will be awarded to the following organizations to assist with the following initiatives:
Practical Farmers of Iowa -- Farmer to Farmer Knowledge Sharing to Improve Cut-Flower Production and Profitability -- To improve the competitiveness of specialty crops in Iowa through in-depth, crop-specific knowledge sharing related to cut flower production and marketing among farmers at conferences, field days, and meetups.
Rodale Institute -- Development and Demonstration of No-Till Vegetable Production Systems in Iowa -- To reduce the reliance on plastic mulch by using permanent beds for no-till vegetable production while additionally studying temperatures, water, and soil nitrate impacts.
Iowa State University -- Climate Smart Irrigation Sensors and Technologies for Iowa Vegetable Growers -- To study efficient management of irrigation and how sensors, sensor technology, and automation can be used for sustainable water management.
Practical Farmers of Iowa -- Reimbursement for On-Farm Food Safety Improvements for Fruit and Vegetable Growers -- To increase competitiveness of specialty crops by supporting on-farm enhancements through a reimbursement program and through in-depth knowledge sharing at a field day.
Iowa State University -- Improvement of Blueberry Establishment in Iowa Soils -- To improve blueberry production in Iowa by working to lower the soil pH, study the viability of two new cultivars, and reduce establishment costs for producers.
Iowa State University -- Winemaking Practices to Improve Cold-Hardy Wine Quality Over Time -- To study enhancing the way Iowa wines age by evaluating the use of sulfur dioxide and other options used to preserve the quality in Iowa wine.
Iowa Wine Growers Association -- Specialty Producers Conference -- To host and provide education opportunities to specialty producers at a specialty producers conference.
Healthy Harvest North Iowa -- The Kitchen: Where Small Communities and Food Businesses Grow in North Iowa -- To partner with local collaborators to create a shared-use kitchen space offering commercial-grade equipment, storage space, and technical assistance to businesses to support the development of value-added products from specialty crops, increase farm profitability, and decrease food waste in north Iowa.
Iowa Ag Literacy Foundation -- Teaching about Vineyards and Grape Production -- To provide educational material and career connection highlights for educators and students about vineyard management, grape processing, product production.
Iowa Food Foundation -- Developing Digital and Print Marketing Tools for Shared Use amongst Iowa's Specialty Crop Markets and Producers -- To support a year-long digital and print marketing campaign focusing on the community benefit of buying locally.
Iowa State University -- Business Basics Boot Camps for Iowa Specialty Producers -- To increase the financial and marketing business knowledge of Iowa specialty producers by offering financial and marketing boot camps.
Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship and Iowa State University -- Understanding Capacity and Feasibility of a Fruit and Vegetable Processing Facility in Iowa -- To fund research with Iowa State University to determine best practices for processing facilities in other states; conduct market analysis and a feasibility study for a processing facility; and understand the potential economic impact that a processing facility for local fruits and vegetables could be for our state.
Categories: Iowa, Crops