Iowa Awards $435,000 in Specialty Crop Grants

Iowa specialty crop growers will benefit from more than $435,000 in federal grant funding aimed at improving production, solving farming challenges and helping producers reach new customers.

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The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship awarded 13 grants totaling $435,734.12. The projects will support research, farmer education, food safety, and market development across the state.

Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, nuts, honey, wine grapes, nursery plants, and other horticultural products. The grants are designed to help growers strengthen their operations and create more opportunities to sell Iowa-grown products.

Here's a look at how the funding will support Iowa agriculture:

Protecting apple production: Iowa State University researchers will survey apple trees across the state to identify viruses that could threaten crops.
Improving growing conditions: Researchers will test ways to adjust soil acidity for specialty crops such as apples and blueberries.
Helping farmers reach more buyers: The state will develop online resources to connect Iowa growers with restaurants, schools and grocery stores.
Improving food safety: Two projects will help vegetable growers strengthen food safety practices and meet buyer expectations. That could make it easier for smaller farms to sell to wholesale customers.
Reducing weeds: Practical Farmers of Iowa will help growers test cover crops that suppress weeds and improve soil health.
Supporting pollinators: The Iowa Agriculture Literacy Foundation will develop lessons to teach students how bees and other pollinators help produce food.
Growing Iowa's wine industry: Iowa State University researchers will study fermentation methods to help producers make more consistent fruit-based beverages.
Building stronger farm businesses: Training through Iowa State University Extension and Outreach will help producers understand loans, grants and other funding options.

Additional grants will support nursery plant research, sod production, and industry conferences. Those conferences will give specialty crop producers opportunities to learn from experts and connect with others in their industries.

The potential impact goes beyond the farm. Helping growers improve production and meet food safety requirements can open doors to new customers. Expanding wholesale sales could also give Iowa businesses and institutions more ways to buy local products.

“Specialty crop producers are finding new ways to grow, diversify and create value right here in Iowa, and the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship wants to help continue that momentum. These Specialty Crop Block Grants support research, education and outreach that spur innovation and help Iowa’s specialty crop producers tap into new markets. Not only do these investments strengthen our state’s agriculture-based economy, but they also provide more opportunities for consumers to buy Iowa-grown, Iowa-made and Iowa-raised food, beverage and horticultural products.”
-Mike Naig, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture

The grants are part of the federal Specialty Crop Block Grant Program, which receives funding through the Farm Bill and is administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Marketing Service.

The program supports specialty crop industries nationwide. For fiscal year 2026, the USDA reported $86.6 million in funding, with 56 grants awarded and 608 projects receiving subawards. Iowa's $435,734 allocation will support 13 projects aimed at addressing challenges facing the state's specialty crop producers. The funding could mean better growing methods, stronger businesses, and more opportunities to bring locally produced Iowa food and horticultural products to market.