Secretary Naig Announces 125 Schools Receive Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Grants

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig today announced that 125 Iowa public and private schools will receive funding through the Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Program to purchase Iowa grown and raised food. Each participating school will receive approximately $1,600, which will be matched at least one-to-one by the school to double the impact and generate additional purchases of local food. The program funding allocated by the Iowa Legislature was evenly distributed among schools so that every eligible school that applied for the program received funding.

The announcement comes one week ahead of Iowa Local Food Day on Sept. 23, an annual celebration of Iowa grown, made and raised food and beverages. Secretary Naig is encouraging schools, families and all Iowans to join the celebration by choosing local foods and supporting Iowa farmers and food businesses.

“Choose Iowa is all about connecting more Iowans with the great food, beverages and agricultural products produced right here in our state. Now in its second year, we continue to see strong demand for the Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools program, demonstrating the desire to serve more fresh, healthy and nutritious Iowa foods to students,” said Secretary Naig. “I’m going to continue asking the Iowa Legislature for additional funding to grow the program so even more students can benefit from it. As we look ahead to Iowa Local Food Day, I encourage all Iowans to celebrate by choosing local whenever they can.”

The Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Program, now in its first year with permanent funding, provides $200,000 to help participating schools purchase eligible Iowa food products through seven Iowa food hubs. The required one-to-one school match will leverage at least an additional $200,000 in local purchases, generating at least $400,000 in total purchasing power for Iowa grown and raised food.

The permanent program was authorized through the bipartisan 2026 Iowa Farm Act, which was introduced and championed by Secretary Naig. It builds on the successful Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Pilot Program for Schools launched in 2025. During the pilot, 61 schools or school districts applied for funding, requesting more than twice the $70,000 available. Ultimately, 33 schools or school districts received funding to purchase Iowa food for their students.

The Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Program helps build relationships among Iowa farmers, food businesses, food hubs and schools while creating demand for Iowa agricultural products. It complements the permanent Choose Iowa Farms to Food Banks Program, which similarly connects Iowa farmers and food businesses with food banks and emergency feeding organizations.

Celebrate Iowa Local Food Day
Iowa Local Food Day will be celebrated statewide on Wednesday, Sept. 23. Iowans are encouraged to celebrate by seeking out fresh, nutritious and locally produced food and supporting the Iowa farmers, food businesses and communities behind those products. Consumers can find nearby farms, food businesses, farmers markets, retail locations and other local food options by visiting the Find Local directory at ChooseIowa.com.

Selected Schools

The following school districts received grants:

ADM Community School District (Adel-DeSoto-Minburn)

Algona Community School District

Allamakee Community School District

Andrew Community School District

Aquin Catholic School (Cascade)

Audubon Community School District

Baxter Community School District

Beckman Catholic Schools (Dyersville)

Bedford Community School District

Belle Plaine Community School District

Belmond-Klemme Community School District

Bennett Community School District

Bondurant-Farrar Community School District

Bosco Catholic School System

Boyer Valley Community School District

CAL Community School District (Coulter-Alexander-Latimer)

CAM Community School District (Cumberland-Anita-Massena)

Centerville Community School District

Central Lee Community School District

Chariton Community School District

Clarinda Community School District

Clarion-Goldfield-Dows Community School District

Clarke Community School District

Clear Creek-Amana Community School District

Clear Lake Community School District

College Community School District (Cedar Rapids-Prairie)

Council Bluffs Community School District

Danbury Catholic School

Davenport Community School District

Davis County Community School District

Decorah Community School District

Delwood Community School District (Delmar)

Diagonal Community School District

Dike-New Hartford Community School District

Dubuque Community School District

Durant Community School District

Earlham Community School District

Eastern Allamakee Community School District

Easton Valley Community School District

Edgewood-Colesburg Community School District

Eldora-New Providence Community School District

Essex Community School District

Exira-EHK Community School District (Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton)

Fairfield Community School District

Gilbert Community School District

Grinnell-Newburg Community School District

Griswold Community School District

Hampton-Dumont Community School District

Highland Community School District

Holy Family Catholic Schools (Dubuque)

Howard-Winneshiek Community School District

Hubbard-Radcliffe Community School District

Iowa City Community School District

Jesup Community School District

Johnston Community School District

La Salle Catholic School (Holy Cross)

Linn-Mar Community School District

Lone Tree Community School District

Louisa-Muscatine Community School District

Lynnville-Sully Community School District

Maple Valley-Anthon-Oto Community School District

Marquette Catholic School

Monticello Community School District

Moravia Community School District

Mount Vernon Community School District

Muscatine Community School District

Newman Catholic School (Mason City)

Newton Community School District

North Cedar Community School District

North Fayette Valley Community School District

North Linn Community School District

North Polk Community School District

Norwalk Community School District

OABCIG Community School District (Odebolt-Arthur-Battle Creek-Ida Grove)

Olin Community School District

Osage Community School District

Oskaloosa Community School District

Ottumwa Community School District

Pella Christian Schools

Pella Community School District

Perry Community School District

Pleasant Valley Community School District

Pleasantville Community School District

Postville Community School District

Riceville Community School District

River Valley Community School District

Riverside Community School District

Rock Valley Community School District

Rudd-Rockford-Marble Rock (RRMR) Community School District

Sacred Heart Catholic School (Monticello)

Sacred Heart Catholic School (Spencer)

Seton Catholic School (Farley/Peosta)

Shelby County Catholic School

Sheldon Community School District

Solon Community School District

South Central Calhoun Community School District

South Winneshiek Community School District

Southeast Polk Community School District

Spencer Community School District

St. Athanasius School (Jesup)

St. Joseph Community School (New Hampton)

St. Patrick Catholic School (Waukon)

St. Teresa of Calcutta School (Ossian)

Starmont Community School District

Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District

Tipton Community School District

Trinity Lutheran School (Cedar Rapids)

Tripoli Community School District

Urbandale Community School District

WACO Community School District (Wayland-Crawfordsville-Olds)

Wapsie Valley Community School District

Waterloo Community School District

Waukee Community School District

Waverly Shell Rock Community School District

West Central Community School District

West Des Moines Community School District

West Harrison Community School District

West Lyon Community School District

West Marshall Community School District

West Sioux Community School District

Western Dubuque Community School District

Westwood Community School District

Williamsburg Community School District

Winterset Community School District

Woodbine Community School District