Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants — Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship

Cost-share for Iowa farms adding value on-farm and selling direct — processing equipment, on-farm stores, cold storage, and branded local products.

Typical award: Up to $25,000 with 1:1 match
Deadline: Annual application window
Type of support: Funding / grants · Business & value-added products
Who can apply: Individual producer, Beginning / underserved
Fits these operations: Vegetables & produce, Orchard & fruit, Mixed / diversified, Value-added & food business, Urban farm

The eligibility and application details below are general guidance for this kind of program, not text copied from the funder. The facts above — who runs it, how much, and when it closes — are hand-checked. Always confirm specifics on the official page.

Am I eligible?

Farm or business must operate in IA
Individual farmers, ranchers, and farm businesses may apply
Beginning, veteran, and historically underserved producers are prioritized
Applicant is usually required to be registered to do business in the state
You pay up front and are reimbursed after the practice is verified
Work generally cannot start before the agreement is signed

How to apply

1Read the current program page or notice of funding to confirm this cycle's rules
2Contact Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship before writing — most funders will tell you if you are a fit
3Draft the narrative, budget, and any required letters of support
4Submit whenever you are ready — rolling review, earlier is usually better
5Sign the award agreement and track spending for reporting

What you'll need

Farm or business name, address, and tax ID / EIN
Project description and itemized budget
Maps, photos, or quotes for anything you plan to build or buy
Proof of land ownership or a lease covering the project period

Timeline & contact

Rolling review — expect roughly 1–3 months from submission to decision

Get help: Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship — also try Cooperative Extension in your county

Ready to apply?

Applications go through Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, not through this site. Open the official page below for eligibility rules, forms, and contacts. For federal programs it's worth calling your local USDA Service Center or Cooperative Extension office first — they help with paperwork for free and know what your county actually funds.

Open official page

This listing was last hand-checked August 2026.

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