A Keota goat milk creamery in Keokuk County has been selected as one of 11 Iowa dairy farms and businesses to receive a Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Sweet Doe Company was awarded $2,071.90 toward the purchase of a freeze dryer, freeze-dry tray stackers, an ice cream maker, and popsicle molds. The total anticipated cost of the project is just over $4,100, with the grant covering half through the program’s required one-to-one financial match.
The company shared that the funding will go toward expanding popsicle production, bringing SweetDoe Scoops into full production, and adding freeze-drying capability for their cheese. “The grant will go towards increasing popsicle production, bringing SweetDoe Scoops into full production, and freeze drying capability for the cheese,” the company said in a social media post. “We are very excited, and are grateful for this opportunity.”
Sweet Doe Company said they had initially decided against applying for the grant but were encouraged to give it another shot at the Iowa Eats event. They also credited the Choose Iowa program for helping bridge the gap between small producers and consumers. “Choose Iowa is a great resource for small producers and Iowa consumers alike,” the company said. “There can be a big disconnect between merchants and the customer. They’ve done a great job at bridging the gap between the two.”
Sweet Doe Company got its start following the purchase of a dairy goat at a local sale barn, a small act that eventually grew into a full creamery operation. The company can be found in Keota or at several farmers markets around southeast Iowa, including Washington on Thursday nights.
The Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grant Program offers competitive matching grants of up to $100,000 per project to support on-farm dairy processing and labor-saving technologies, with a focus on smaller Iowa farms and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. The 11 projects selected this cycle will receive a combined $614,620 in cost-share funding as part of a total investment of $1.27 million. The program was established in 2024 and has since awarded 46 grants totaling more than $7.6 million invested across various projects.
