Applications are now open for the third round of Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the competitive cost-share program, which supports on-farm dairy processing and labor-saving technology. The grants are administered by Choose Iowa within the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Since the program launched, 35 dairy projects have been awarded funding, leveraging about $6.34 million in total on-farm investment. State officials say the projects have expanded processing capacity and increased the availability of Iowa-made dairy products.
The program offers matching grants of up to $100,000 per project, with a required one-to-one financial match. Eligible applicants must be Iowa-based dairies with fewer than 50 employees and be in good standing with regulatory agencies.
Applications must be submitted through the online portal at ChooseIowa.com by noon April 17. Recipients are expected to be announced in June.
