LANSING — Iowa dairy farms and processors are getting a fresh boost from the state as officials try to help smaller agriculture businesses expand processing, reduce labor demands and put more Iowa-made dairy products on store shelves.
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced during Dairy Month that 11 farms and businesses have been awarded Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants. The announcement was made during a visit to Gav-n-view Farm near Lansing, one of this year’s grant recipients.
The program is administered by Choose Iowa through the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. It offers competitive matching grants of up to $100,000 per project, with recipients required to provide a one-to-one financial match.
This year’s 11 projects will receive a combined $614,620.35 in cost-share funding. State officials said the grants will leverage more than $1.27 million in total investment.
The projects include on-farm dairy processing, packaging equipment, robotics, automated feeding systems, herd health monitoring technology and other labor-saving or value-added improvements.
Naig said the grants are designed to help dairy farmers add value to their existing operations by expanding processing capacity, developing new products and adopting technologies that improve efficiency.
“The result is more fresh, wholesome and nutritious Iowa-made dairy products on store shelves, stronger farm businesses, and more dollars staying in local communities,” Naig said.
Since the program launched in 2024, 46 dairy projects have been awarded funding through the Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grant Program. Combined, those projects have leveraged approximately $7.6 million in total investment, including private matching funds.
State officials said the program is aimed at smaller Iowa dairy farms and processors with fewer than 50 employees as they pursue value-added opportunities and operational improvements.
Robert Horst, a Bristow dairy farmer and president of the Iowa State Dairy Association, said the program has produced visible results for Iowa farmers and consumers.
“Iowa State Dairy Association is proud of the impact the Dairy Innovation Grant Program continues to have on Iowa’s dairy farmers and processors,” Horst said. “This investment in Iowa’s dairy industry has demonstrated a meaningful return by supporting dairy farm families, encouraging innovation and growth, and providing Iowans with greater access to dairy products made right here in our state.”
The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship received 40 project applications for this round of funding, with requests totaling more than $2.25 million.
The 2026 awards include five on-farm processing projects and six labor-saving technology projects.
2026 On-Farm Processing Projects:
Country View Dairy | Hawkeye | $72,050
Six-lane bottling machine with rotary filling and capping system with conveyor.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $144,100
Sweet Doe Company | Keota | $2,071.90
Freeze dryer, freeze-dry tray stackers, ice cream maker and popsicle molds.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $4,143.79
Frisian Farms Cheese | Leighton | $52,844
Automated cheese wheel cutter.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $105,688
Dutch Girl Dairy, Inc. | Marion | $74,806.25
On-farm processing building complete with the necessary equipment and training to process Grade A raw milk into pasteurized dairy products for distribution to local consumers.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $149,612.50
Moore Local | Maquoketa | $14,643.03
Milk transport equipment to move milk between the dairy farm and creamery.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $29,286
2026 Labor-Saving Technology Projects:
Bonert and Kennedy Farm LLC | Epworth | $12,336.17
eSense activity monitoring collars and a supporting antenna system to reduce labor demands and improve herd management.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $24,672.34
Vellema Dairy | Harris | $75,500
Double-seven parabone-style milking parlor.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $182,848.66
Lango Dairy | Hopkinton | $100,000
Manure collectors, a feed pusher, automatic footbath, and related labor-saving improvements.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $200,550
Gav-n-view Farm | Lansing | $40,000
MTech Robo Post Sprayer, a robotic teat disinfection system that will be integrated into a new milking parlor.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $80,000
Monitoring collars with pulsation monitoring systems.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $189,738
Rolinda Acres Dairy | Waterville | $75,500
Progesterone testing technology to improve reproductive management.
Anticipated Total Project Cost: $164,544.93
Choose Iowa is the state’s signature branding and marketing program for Iowa grown, Iowa made and Iowa raised food, beverages and agricultural products. The program was launched by Secretary Naig and is administered by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.