Listen Now | What does it mean to add value on the farm and why does it matter? In this episode, we explore how Iowa farmers are going beyond raw products to create products that feed their communities, build resilience, and keep more food dollars close to home.

This kind of work is getting a boost from the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant Program, which recently awarded $463,000 to farmers and food businesses across the state. That funding is expected to spark over $1 million in local investment. Demand for the program beat funding 4-to-1, showing just how many great ideas are waiting in the wings. That’s why we’re pushing to grow the program and back every bold step Iowa farmers want to take.

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Voices

Jeff Hafner—Early Morning Harvest

Mark Westbrock—Solstice Farm and Paha Cider

Savanah Laur—Practical Farmers of Iowa

References

Iowa State researchers help lead multistate project for a more diverse Corn Belt—Iowa State University

Secretary Naig Awards 33 Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants—Official State of Iowa Website

USDA Food Dollar Series—Note: The Food Dollar shows the farm share at 15.9 cents of the dollar. In an email exchange with Beth Hoffman, USDA clarified that half that amount is spent by farmers on inputs (seed, herbicides, etc), leaving farmers with only 8 cents of every dollar.

Music

* Mom n' Pa by Beat Mekanik - licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License.

* Coalition Call by Chris Schwartz IFSC

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