Two area school districts are among 125 statewide selected to receive Choose Iowa grants aimed at expanding local food purchases for students.
OABCIG and Spencer will each receive roughly $1,600 through the Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Program, announced Wednesday by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig.
The funding must be matched at least one‑to‑one by the districts, bringing each school’s minimum purchasing power to more than $3,200 for Iowa‑grown and Iowa‑raised food. Statewide, the $200,000 allocation — combined with required school matches — will generate at least $400,000 in local food purchases.
This is the program’s first year with permanent funding, authorized through the bipartisan 2026 Iowa Farm Act. It helps schools buy eligible Iowa products including meat and poultry, dairy items other than milk, eggs, honey, flour, small grains and produce. Purchases must come from Choose Iowa members, a statewide network of farmers, food hubs and small businesses.
Each participating school is paired with a Food Hub Sponsor, which preauthorizes purchases, issues payments to producers and tracks grant and matching funds. While food hubs can supply products directly, schools are not required to buy from their assigned hub and may purchase from any eligible Choose Iowa member.
This year’s permanent program builds on a 2025 pilot that saw strong demand. During that pilot, 61 schools applied for funding — more than twice the available budget of $70,000 — and 33 were ultimately selected, including OABCIG.
Naig says the continued interest shows strong momentum for connecting schools with Iowa producers and expanding access to fresh, local food for students. He said he plans to continue asking lawmakers for additional support so more students can benefit from local food purchases.
The announcement comes ahead of Iowa Local Food Day on Wednesday, Sept. 23, a statewide celebration during which Naig is encouraging schools, families and other consumers to participate by choosing locally-grown and locally-produced products and supporting Iowa farmers and food businesses whenever they can.
The Choose Iowa program now includes nearly 360 members and continues to expand opportunities for farmers, food hubs and small businesses. Consumers can find participating farms, food businesses, farmers’ markets and retailers through the Find Local directory at ChooseIowa.com.
