Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced 15 Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants at the Iowa State Creamery on Wednesday.
“This is year two of Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants that we just awarded and the Iowa State Creamery, in addition to being our first Choose Iowa member, which is our state-branded program for Iowa-made, Iowa-raised, Iowa-grown products,” Naig said.
The ISU Creamery, the first member of Choose Iowa, received $25,480 for a thousand-pound batch pasteurizer and cheese vat to increase cheese production.
“We’re going to see an expansion of ice cream that’s available here,” Naig said. “But also the ability to get into cheese making, which is using more milk that’s produced right here in the state of Iowa, and it’s being consumed here in the state of Iowa. We love that.”
The grant provides two options: funding for on-farm processing or labor-reducing technology.
“As we talk with our dairy producers, finding enough workforce, steady workforce for families that are milking, that it is a challenge,” Naig said. “If we can bring technology in the form of feeding systems, robotic milkers, you name it, that can be a real asset, a real boost to the producers themselves.”
Naig said the grant is “competitive,” with 33 applicants for this year’s grant. Of the 15 applicants awarded, two received funding for on-farm processing, while 13 were awarded for labor-saving technology.
Choose Iowa, founded in 2022 by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, is a state initiative to promote Iowa-grown and produced food, beverages and agricultural products. Choose Iowa also provides grants to farmers, businesses and nonprofits.
The Dairy Innovation Grant, which the ISU Creamery received, allows producers to invest in technology and infrastructure to expand their operations. Choose Iowa awards $750,000 in grants for dairy innovation, with a maximum of $100,000 per awardee.
To qualify for the grant, businesses must be based in Iowa, have fewer than 50 employees and be in good standing with regulatory agencies. Only dairies approved and inspected by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship can apply.
