Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has awarded over $355,000 in grants to help increase demand for Iowa’s specialty crops. The funding will be distributed to support 11 projects that raise awareness about, drive demand for, or create new markets benefiting Iowa’s specialty crops. The grant money was made available through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and funded through the Farm Bill. “With the launch of the Choose Iowa program and the strong consumer demand for local foods, including Iowa-grown specialty crops, these grants will continue to build our state’s capacity to meet these growing markets,” Naig said in a prepared statement. “Specialty Crop Block Grants are an important component of the Farm Bill because they enhance the diversity of Iowa agriculture, build markets, invest in education and assist with scientific research, all of which benefit consumers and growers in Iowa and beyond.”