Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that the Iowa Local Food Purchasing Assistance Program has surpassed $1 million in purchases from Iowa farmers and producers. The statewide program was announced in June 2022 to facilitate the purchase and distribution of Iowa grown and produced food for use by underserved communities. It has benefitted 194 Iowa farmers and has an overall goal of exceeding 300. It is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture through the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and originally received about $2.7 million, launching in September 2022. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship announced in May 2023 that the program received an extension through May 2025 and an additional $2.9 million, bringing the total amount of funding to more than $5.6 million. To learn more about the program, click here.