Two area businesses in eastern Iowa have been selected to receive Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants to expand their operations.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig recently announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has awarded 26 of the grants to Iowa farmers, small businesses and nonprofits in 22 counties. The grants, which total $463,000, will help leverage a total investment by grant awardees of $1,993,190, according to a news release.
The eastern Iowa recipients include:
- Olathea Creek Winery of LeClaire. It will receive a $25,000 grant for a project to increase production capacity and product availability by adding specialized bottling and processing equipment. Total project budget: $54,705.
- Acorn Bluff Farms, Inc., of Columbus Junction, will receive a $15,432 grant for a project to expand cold storage capacity for direct-to-consumer pork sales. Total project budget: $30,865.
See the entire list of grant winners here.
The Choose Iowa announcement was made as part of Iowa Ag Week during an event held at Cortum Farm and Co., located outside of Indianola, which was one of the 2024 grant awardees.
Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, Iowa raised and Iowa made products. These cost-share grants, which match up to $25,000 per project, were created to assist Iowa farmers, businesses and non-profits increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings, expand markets and shorten supply chains.
This year’s 26 statewide grants will support a wide variety of projects including delivery and cold storage for direct-to-consumer meat sales, fruit production and processing, vegetable processing, packaging equipment, cider and wine canning and bottling, farm store and food hub construction, honey production, culinary herb, lavender and cut flower production, warehouse capacity, cover crop seed distribution, agri-tourism opportunities, and much more.
“Consumers are continually looking for more Iowa food, beverages, and ag products to enjoy and these Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants will help Iowa farmers, small businesses, and non-profits build that supply,” Mr. Naig said in the release. “We are so pleased to provide these Choose Iowa cost-share investments because they will enhance the availability of Iowa products while creating positive economic activity in communities, big and small, across our state.”
Grant funding, for example, could be used to add new processing, packaging or sales techniques that add value to crops, livestock, and other products. 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. Grant funding could also be used for employee training and continuing education.
Meat processing and dairy processing projects were not eligible for Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants as separate dedicated grant funding programs are available for both.
Individuals, businesses, and non-profit organizations that are currently living or operating in Iowa were eligible to apply and preference was given to small to medium-sized entities. This year, the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received 63 eligible grant requests totaling $1.13 million. The grant program remains highly competitive, given that requests far exceed the available funding of $463,000.
Since the launch of the grants in 2022, a total of $1,173,690 in Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants have been awarded to 67 projects, which has leveraged a total investment of $4.268 million.
