The State of Iowa is rolling out a free digital passport that encourages Iowans to hit the road and provides a roadmap for exploring Iowa’s local foods and beverages and its agritourism destinations.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig last week announced the launch of the 2026 Choose Iowa Passport, an interactive digital platform. Developed in partnership with Travel Iowa, the passport connects users with participating Choose Iowa members.
Nearly 80 members are participating already and additional locations are continuing to join and expand the Passport’s reach all year long. Choose Iowa Passport stops include farms, farm stores, farmers markets, restaurants, breweries, wineries, garden centers, and other businesses offering locally grown, made, and raised food, beverages, and agricultural products.
“I invite Iowans to embark on an agritourism adventure with the Choose Iowa Passport and enjoy the local flavor that our state has to offer,” Mr. Naig said in a recent news release. “This is the perfect opportunity to get out, take the backroads, and see more of Iowa. Along the way, you can meet the people behind your food and discover the farms and businesses that make our state special.”
Each year, Iowa features a new passport experience to give participants the opportunity to discover new destinations and revisit favorite stops. Here’s a look at how the Iowa Passport works:
- To participate, sign up easily at ChooseIowa.com.
- The free and mobile-friendly device allows users to check at participating locations and earn points and prizes including Choose Iowa merchandise and locally grown and made agricultural products.
- At the various destinations, participants are urged to support the local farmers, businesses, and Iowa-made products with their purchases.
Growing agritourism
“We’re excited to see Choose Iowa continue to grow and to connect even more Iowans with these outstanding members,” Mr. Naig added.
The passport is part of the Choose Iowa program, the state’s signature branding and marketing initiative that promotes Iowa-grown, made, and raised products. In 2025, the Iowa Passport featured 99 participating businesses, generated more than 3,800 sign-ups, and recorded more than 2,300 check-ins from users exploring agritourism destinations across Iowa.
Since the Choose Iowa Value-Added Program launched in 2022, the department has awarded nearly $1.64 million in state-funded, cost-sharing grants. The funding has supported more than 100 projects with local farmers and agribusinesses. In turn, the state has seen a total investment of more than $5.6 million to expand local production and processing.
Choose Iowa also continues to gain strong momentum and now has 345 members across Iowa.
Access the 2026 Choose Iowa Passport, view locations, and begin planning your agritourism stops by visiting the Choose Iowa website.
