Iowa has launched a dairy innovation grant program that can help expand the availability of dairy products for consumers.
State Ag Secretary Mike Naig tells Brownfield the funds were authorized during last year’s legislation session with an overall budget of $750,000 the first year.
“It’s really targeted at smaller dairy (operations),” he said. “Trying to look at grants that would help bring on some new on-farm dairy processing, maybe looking at making cheese or yogurt or frozen yogurt, and packaging equipment.”
According to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, the concept builds off other recent Iowa cost-share grant programs, including the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant and Butchery Innovation and Revitalization Program.
