2025 Legislative session recommendations
Food Farms Deserve a Bigger Slice of the Pie
The Iowa Food System Coalition is a group of more than 40 partners representing farmers, government, universities, public health advocates, food banks and pantries, public schools and more. Together, we see a huge opportunity to grow and strengthen our agricultural traditions, improve our collective health, and boost our economy by diversifying what we grow in our state.
Our aim is to expand local food production and consumption, drive economic growth, and improve our state’s health and resilience.
Developing and supporting a local food system in Iowa should be a cornerstone of Iowa’s agriculture policy. To this end, IFSC has developed four legislative policy asks for the 2025 session.
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Fund and make permanent the Choose Iowa Purchasing Program
The Choose Iowa Purchasing Program is a pilot program designed to connect Iowa’s food banks with Choose Iowa farmer and processor members to help alleviate food insecurity within our communities. The pilot program was funded in the 2024 session with an initial investment of $225,000 and a 1:1 match by the food banks. An additional $75,000 will be made available to schools for the 2025-2026 school year.
IFSC recommends making the pilot program permanent and increasing funding for the Purchasing Program.
Focus Areas: Procurement | Nutrition
Increase funding for the Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant Program
Choose Iowa Grants exist to identify, evaluate and financially support programs and services that add value to agricultural products, enable new technologies and support alternative marketing strategies. These cost-share grants leverage additional private investment and were created to assist Iowa farmers, businesses and nonprofits with their efforts to increase or diversify their agricultural product offerings, expand markets and shorten the supply chain.
IFSC recommends increasing funding for the Choose Iowa Value-Added program and creating exceptions to the 1:1 match and reimbursement required by farms and processors to receive the grant.
Focus Areas: Business Development | Infrastructure | Food Access
Boost support for rural grocery stores, shared-use kitchens, and processing through the Rural Innovation Grant Program
Rural Innovation Grants focus on food access through specific awards designated for rural grocery stores and rural food processors. Currently, the grant allows a one-time application opportunity.
IFSC and partners including the Center for Rural Affairs have introduced legislation in the 2025 session to advance the longevity of the program and to further invest in rural communities, specifically through shared-use kitchens and rural grocery stores.
Focus Areas: Food Access | Business Development | Infrastructure
Provide State Investment in the Double Up Food Bucks Program
Double Up Food Bucks doubles the value of federal SNAP benefits when spent on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores. Nearly 90% of SNAP participants report challenges in obtaining a healthy diet, with more than 60% citing the high cost of fresh, nutritious food as their primary barrier. Administered by the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative, it is currently active in 36 counties. Since its launch in 2016, over $1 million in DUFB benefits have been redeemed at farmers markets across Iowa.
The Iowa Food System Coalition supports state investment in the Double Up Food Bucks (DUFB) Program to double the value of federal SNAP benefits spent on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores.
Focus Areas: Nutrition | Food Access | Infrastructure
Tommy Hexter, Iowa Farmers Union
“There’s grassroots power in working with so many people from different areas of the food system, from farmers to professors, non-profit leaders to small business owners.”
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