Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced the launch of the Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant program. Small-scale meat processors and custom lockers are encouraged to submit proposals to expand meat processing capacity within Iowa. This grant is part of Choose Iowa, the state’s branding and marketing program designed to identify and promote Iowa grown, raised and made ag products. The grant is administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
“Iowa’s small-scale meat processors and custom lockers are important to our livestock industry and the vitality of our rural communities,” said Secretary Naig. “Through our new Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant Program, we are helping these small businesses upgrade and expand their processing capacity to better serve our farmers and ensure consumers have more fresh and local options.”
The Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant replaces a previous program, created in 2021, that was administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The Legislature authorized this new Choose Iowa grant program during the 2024 legislative session and allocated nearly $250,000 for the first year.
Proposed projects should support job creation and expanding meat processing capacity within Iowa. Grants are intended for smaller-scale facilities, and awarded projects should create processing, storage and meat transportation efficiencies. Eligible projects, for example, may include the purchase and installation of equipment used in the processing or storage of meat products, including refrigerators, freezers, meat processing equipment, packaging equipment, mobile harvest units and more. Grant dollars may also be used to restructure existing facilities to increase efficiency or aid in the construction of a new or expanded facility.
“The Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant is essential for upholding the tradition of butchery and empowering small, independent businesses to flourish,” said Shelly Tiefenthaler, President of the Iowa Meat Processors Association and co-owner of Tiefenthaler Custom Meats in Holstein. “It also plays a key role in supporting local food systems and encouraging sustainability within the meat industry.”
Awardees are eligible to receive up to $100,000. Applicants must provide at least a one-to-one financial match. Grant funds are paid out as a reimbursement after the project is completed. The project cannot be in progress before a grant is awarded and must be able to be completed within 12 months. Full details including financial matching requirements, application, eligibility, and scoring criteria are available on the Choose Iowa website.
Iowa State University Center for Industrial Research and Services (CIRAS) will provide free reviews of Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation project plans. Although not required, those that have their plans reviewed by CIRAS will receive bonus points in the scoring process. Plans for review by CIRAS must be submitted directly to CIRAS at ciras.grants@iastate.edu by February 21. Choose Iowa grant applicants should submit both their original project plan and the revised plan with their application.
Final applications should be submitted through the online portal on the Choose Iowa website by 12 p.m./CT on March 31, 2025. Grant recipients will be announced in May 2025. Projects must be completed between May 2025 and June 2026.
The Choose Iowa program was initiated by Secretary Naig and is administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. Questions about the Butchery Innovation Grant or the Choose Iowa marketing program and member benefits may be emailed to chooseiowagrant@iowaagriculture.gov.
