Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announces nine Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant recipients to expand small-scale meat processing capacity within Iowa. These cost-share grants, totaling $355,000, will help small businesses, many of whom are located in rural communities, make essential equipment purchases and facility improvements. Projects include the addition of new smokehouses, installation of freezer systems, expansion of processing lines, and the replacement or modernization of vital equipment, among other improvements. Naig made the announcement at Maxwell Custom Beef in Des Moines, one of the recipients of the grant. 

"Choose Iowa is growing rapidly as more Iowans seek fresh, local products and more farmers and food businesses recognize the networking and promotional benefits offered to members," said Naig. "These grants are helping small meat processors across Iowa expand their operations to better serve both producers and customers.

"Iowa’s livestock industry depends on accessible, high-quality processing, and these projects are a smart investment in that infrastructure. The strong demand for this Choose Iowa program also shows just how competitive these grants were, with far more applications than funding available. We’re proud to support these hard-working small businesses and look forward to seeing their continued growth."

The Choose Iowa Butchery Innovation Grant replaces a previous program that was created in 2021 and administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The legislature authorized this new Choose Iowa grant program during the 2024 legislative session and allocated nearly $250,000 for its first year. An additional $250,000 was authorized during the 2025 session. This round of funding is utilizing appropriations from both fiscal years.

Choose Iowa received 23 grant requests totaling over $1.5 million, showing the strong interest and demand from processors statewide. The investment of $355,000 will leverage a combined investment of approximately $1.94 million across nine counties. Awardees could receive up to $100,000 and are required to provide at least a one-to-one financial match.

Grant recipients

Weaver Meats in Afton receives $40,000 to purchase an RTE cooler and Enviro-Pak smokehouse. The anticipated total project cost is $105,119.

Cherokee Locker in Cherokee receives $75,000 to purchase a freezer and expand its cut and packing line. The anticipated total project cost is $512,287.

Maxwell Custom Beef, formerly Amend Packing Co., in Des Moisnes receives $20,000 to upgrade and modernization its processing equipment. The anticipated total project cost is $57,683.

Tiefenthaler Quality Meats, Food Locker Service in Holstein receives $45,000 to add a smokehouse, with an anticipated total project cost of $129,877.

Milo Locker Meats, Tribal Meat, in Milo receives $75,000 to purchase and install a freezer facility, with an anticipated total project cost of $282,000.

Friedrichsen Meat Co. in Sutherland receives $25,000 to purchase a meat slicer, vacuum sealer and automatic double clipper for ground meat packaging, with an anticipated total project cost of $110,436.

Skoglund Meats in West Bend receives $25,000 to add a smokehouse, with an anticipated total cost of $292,180.

Winthrop Locker in Winthrop receives $25,000 to purchase a 500T smokehouse, with an anticipated total project cost of $62,166.

Yetter Locker in Yetter receives $25,000 to incorporate harvest floor improvements, a rail processing cooler and a finished product walk-in freezer. This project has an anticipated total project cost of $388,872.

Source: Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship