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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship (IDALS) sought a $1.335 million increase to its overall operating budget for fiscal year 2027, a 1.6% rise. Within that department-wide request, $300,000 was proposed to expand Choose Iowa by developing retail and distribution capacity for member producers. Later state budget documents list $2.113 million for the Choose Iowa budget unit—a different, program-level figure, not the $300,000 expansion request.
What Iowa requested, and what the figures mean
IDALS announced its FY2027 budget proposal in December 2025. At a January 29, 2026, House appropriations subcommittee hearing, Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig described how the request would be used. The figures refer to distinct budget measures:
| Figure | What it represents | Source and timing |
|---|---|---|
| $1.335 million | Proposed increase to IDALS’s total operating budget, a 1.6% rise | IDALS FY2027 proposal, announced December 2025 |
| $300,000 | Proposed incremental funding for Choose Iowa expansion | Account of Naig’s January 29, 2026, budget hearing by Iowa Capital Dispatch |
| $2.113 million | Choose Iowa budget-unit amount in both the department request and governor’s recommendation | Iowa Department of Management, FY2027 Iowa Budget Report |
| $200,000 | Separate Choose Iowa Food Purchasing Program amount | FY2027 Iowa Budget Report; later described by IDALS as funding for the permanent Local Food for Schools Program |
The first two figures describe the proposal’s requested increases; the latter two are separate program budget amounts. The $2.113 million is not the amount of the proposed $300,000 expansion.
Why IDALS sought a department-wide increase
IDALS said the larger operating-budget request reflected a 2% across-the-board salary increase, higher health insurance costs, workers compensation, and association fees. Naig characterized these expenses as costs the department did not control. The $300,000 for Choose Iowa was a separate part of the request, aimed at program expansion rather than those operating-cost pressures.
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What the proposed Choose Iowa expansion would fund
At the hearing, Naig said the proposed $300,000 would help develop a retail and distribution system within Choose Iowa, including staff to help members build that infrastructure. The goal was to help growers sell larger quantities of their products on a more predictable basis. In practical terms, the proposal focused on helping producers reach buyers and move products through retail and distribution channels, not simply on advertising the program.
In its Iowa Farm Act announcement, IDALS also proposed added flexibility to expand marketing opportunities and demand for Iowa-made, Iowa-raised, and Iowa-grown food and agricultural products through Choose Iowa. The proposal included making the school purchasing pilot permanent and prioritizing young and beginning farmers in Choose Iowa grant programs.
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What Choose Iowa does and how it is funded
Choose Iowa is IDALS’s state branding and marketing program for Iowa-grown, Iowa-raised, and Iowa-made food, beverages, and agricultural products. It promotes members’ products and offers producer grants. The Legislative Services Agency explains that, beginning in FY2025, the Choose Iowa Fund consolidated the Value Added Agriculture Grant Program, Choose Iowa Promotional Program, and Dairy Innovation and Revitalization Program into a single appropriation. That consolidation helps explain why a program-level budget amount is broader than the specific expansion increment discussed at the hearing.
According to figures from Choose Iowa’s 2025 Annual Report reported by Iowa Capital Dispatch, 97 members benefited from grant programs in 2025. The report also said that each $1 in state-funded grants was associated with $1.97 in private investment. Those are reported program figures, not a guarantee of future returns for an individual grant recipient.
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The same annual-report figures, as reported by the news outlet, put Choose Iowa membership at more than 300 across 86 counties and said membership grew 113% in 2025. These figures describe reported membership and growth for that year.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What changed after the 2026 legislative session
IDALS reported after the 2026 session that the Iowa Farm Act had passed and that newly approved funding would bring food grown and raised by Choose Iowa members into school meals. On August 12, 2026, the department described the permanent Choose Iowa Local Food for Schools Program, authorized through the act, with $200,000 to help schools buy and serve Iowa food.
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- INSTALLS IN CIRCUIT PANEL of most homes with clamp-on sensors. Supports Single phase, Single-split phase, and 2-wire systems. 3-wire systems; 3-phase, 4-wire Wye systems with earthed (TN or TT) neutral (no-Delta) are supported with an additional 200A sensor (sold separately).
- 24/7 ENERGY MANAGEMENT AND MONITORING: Automate, manage and control your home's real power anywhere, anytime to prevent costly repairs, conserve energy, and save costs. Monitor solar / net metering. PROTECTED BY A 1-YEAR WARRANTY.
- LOWER YOUR ELECTRIC BILL: Configure settings in the Emporia Energy App to automate energy management for time of use, peak demand, excess solar, and rewards programs. You can even see live reporting and invaluable savings opportunities instantly. Gauge real-time spending and get actionable notifications and automated energy management to help you reduce costs.
- REAL-TIME ENERGY DATA: REQUIRES 2.4 GHz WIFI WITH AN INTERNET CONNECTION to monitor energy use with iPhone / Android / Web app. Vue sensors collect energy data and are accurate from ±2%. The Vue is UL and CE Listed for your safety. 1 second data is only available in the app (when actively open) and retained 3 hours. Minute and hour data are retained in the cloud. 1 minute data is retained 7 days, 1 hour data is retained indefinitely. Export cloud data whenever you want in the app.
Under IDALS’s announcement, public and private schools could apply by district, and participating schools would purchase eligible Iowa food through seven participating food hubs. Districts had to provide at least a 1:1 financial match. The application deadline was August 31, 2026, which has passed; the announcement does not establish that applications are currently open.
IDALS said the 2025 pilot received applications from 61 schools or districts requesting more than $158,000 against $70,000 available. Thirty-three schools or districts received funds. These figures describe the pilot, not the subsequent permanent program’s results.
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What the budget news means for producers and schools
- For producers: The proposed $300,000 expansion was intended to build retail and distribution support that could help members sell at greater scale and with more predictable sales. The broader program also promotes member products and offers grants.
- For schools: The post-session Local Food for Schools Program set out a separate $200,000 allocation, with a required 1:1 district match and food purchasing through participating hubs. The August 2026 application deadline has passed.
- For budget watchers: Keep the department-wide $1.335 million requested increase, the $300,000 proposed Choose Iowa increment, the $2.113 million Choose Iowa budget unit, and the separate $200,000 food-purchasing line distinct. They describe different levels or components of the budget.
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