116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
NewBo market and others get $5.8M of food resiliency grants
The money will fund two dozen infrastructure and equipment projects in Iowa
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A federal initiative that aims to increase the availability of locally produced food and drinks is funding about $5.8 million in grants for two dozen projects, including the NewBo City Market in Cedar Rapids.
NewBo City Market received among the highest grant awards — about $460,000 — from the Iowa Resilient Food Systems Infrastructure Program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. State agricultural officials oversee the program with management help from Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development.
The NewBo facility is expanding the square footage of its food market and events center by about 43 percent. It has received other state and federal grants for the project, which is expected to be complete next summer.
"By enhancing processing capacity and reinforcing distribution networks, we’re creating more robust pathways for Iowa farmers and small businesses to bring their high-quality Iowa food and ag products to market," said Mike Naig, the state's agriculture secretary, in a statement Tuesday announcing the awards.
Kalona Creamery, in Kalona, is getting about $480,000 to increase its milk processing capacity. The business produces organic milk and other dairy products with milk from 67 family-owned dairies, according to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Other notable Eastern Iowa projects include:
- A cheese maker, Wapsie Valley Creamery in Independence, will get $100,000 to help it process and store excess milk fat that it can sell to butter makers.
- Local Harvest CSA in Solon was awarded $100,000 to add refrigerated storage space, especially for frozen vegetables. "This will also expand their capacity for processing and storing large quantities of crops to serve institutional markets, specifically local schools," the state ag department said.
- Phelps Farm in Guttenberg will get $90,000 for equipment to process and preserve produce. The company is expected to add the equivalent of 1.5 full-time jobs as well.
- Camp Creek Organic Produce of Kalona is set to receive $90,000 to buy two delivery trucks to make its deliveries more reliable and expand its routes.
- Iowa Food Hub in Decorah will get about $88,000 to expand its refrigerated storage and replace a delivery truck.
- Fireside Winery in Marengo was awarded about $74,000 to buy equipment to distribute its wine in aluminum cans. "This project will help attract new customers and increase demand," the ag department said.
- Buffalo Ridge Orchard near Central City will get about $71,000 to upgrade its fruit washing and packing equipment.
- We Arose, in Waterloo, is set to receive about $68,000 for a walk-in cooler and freezer to increase its storage capacity for fresh and frozen fruits and vegetables.
- Grimm Family Farm of Williamsburg — the only supplier of dry beans in Iowa — will get about $50,000 to buy a truck and refrigeration unit. Currently, "bags of beans and potatoes are not protected from dust, heat or other debris and they cannot maintain the cold chain," the ag department said.
The USDA's food resiliency program is funded with about $420 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, a stimulus package prompted by the COVID-19 outbreak. The outbreak exposed flaws in the country's food-processing systems.
The recently announced grants in Iowa do not pay for the entire project and require partial funding from the recipients.
Comments: (319) 368-8541; jared.strong@thegazette.com
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