Young farmers in Iowa who are looking to turn innovative ideas into working businesses have another opportunity to compete for funding and statewide recognition through a program focused on agricultural entrepreneurship.
The Iowa Farm Bureau is accepting applications for its Grow Your Future Award, which provides a $10,000 prize to a young farmer developing an ag-related business. The program targets members between 18 and 35 who are building ventures that go beyond traditional production farming. That includes areas like agritourism, specialty crop production, direct-to-consumer sales, custom ag services, and other value-added ideas that respond to shifting consumer demand.
Leaders with Iowa Farm Bureau say younger producers are operating in a challenging environment shaped by higher input costs, narrow margins, and uncertainty in commodity markets. At the same time, many are finding new opportunities by diversifying operations and creating businesses that connect more directly with customers or make use of farm resources in new ways.
Applications for the program are due Sept. 1 through the organization’s website. After submissions close, a judging panel will select finalists who then advance to a public voting round scheduled for early December. The top three vote recipients will move on to a live pitch event during the Iowa Farm Bureau Young Farmer Conference in January 2027, where final winners are chosen.
Along with the $10,000 grand prize, the competition also awards $5,000 for second place and $2,500 for third.
Previous winners have shown how varied these ag-based businesses can be, including projects that combine on-farm production with customer experiences, such as small-scale creameries, specialty food operations, and farm-based retail ventures. One past participant built a business centered around producing dairy products on site and later expanded into retail offerings with support from the program.
The Grow Your Future Award is part of a broader effort by the Iowa Farm Bureau to encourage rural entrepreneurship and help farmers develop new income streams. Over the years, the initiative has supported thousands of participants and contributed to broader economic activity tied to small business development in rural Iowa.
