IDALS Invests $200k in Farms to Food Banks Program

By Cami Koons

The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced Thursday it was investing $200,000 into the Choose Iowa Farms to Food Banks Program, which helps food banks purchase from local farmers. 

IDALS operated a pilot version of the program last year and the Iowa Legislature approved $200,000 in the department’s budget to run the full program in 2025. 

Six food banks participate in the program and get a dollar-for-dollar match on the purchase of dairy, meat, poultry, eggs, honey, and produce from Choose Iowa registered farms. A press release from IDALS said flour and grains were added to the list of eligible items this year. 

Choose Iowa is a branding and marketing program, under IDALS, to support locally produced and grown goods. It has nearly 300 members across the state.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced the funding Thursday at the Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, one of the participating food banks, in Hiawatha. 

Naig said the program is a “vital step” to address food insecurity in Iowa. 

“By partnering with local food banks and farmers, we’re not only providing fresh, nutritious food to those in need but also supporting local farmers and small businesses,” Naig said in the release. “With a second year of funding, we’re poised to build on the program’s success and make an even greater impact in our communities.” 

According to the press release, the dollar-for-dollar match in 2024 meant food banks in Iowa purchased more than $480,000 worth of food from 24 local farms and food hubs. The pilot program had a budget of $225,000. 

IDALS also operates a similar pilot program that helps schools purchase from local farmers. The pilot program had a $70,000 allocation for the 2025/2026 school year. 

Lawmakers and local food advocates argued the legislature should have approved more funds for both of the local food purchasing programs, especially as a federal program that offered similar support was canceled in March. 

The federal Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance programs were authorized during the COVID-19 pandemic and were extended in October 2024, with Iowa set to receive more than $11 million to purchase local food at schools and food banks. 

The programs were canceled under the Trump administration, which said they were not intended as long-term programs. 

This year 33 Iowa schools are participating in the Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Pilot Program for Schools, which could be extended by lawmakers for the next school year. 

The six food banks participating in the Choose Iowa Farms to Food Banks program are Food Bank of Iowa, Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, River Bend Food Bank, Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Food Bank of Siouxland, and Food Bank for the Heartland. 

Farmers interested in selling to the food banks can apply to be a Choose Iowa member online.

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