PHOTO BY CAMI KOONS/IOWA CAPITAL DISPATCH Locally grown produce.

Nearly 60 Iowa farms will open their doors Friday and Saturday for Iowans to peruse local goods – a trend that appears to be on the rise among Iowa grocery shoppers.

The event is part of the state’s Choose Iowa marketing program that encourages Iowans to buy local produce, meat, dairy and farm goods. The Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship said the Choose Iowa farm crawl gives Iowans the opportunity to connect with producers and learn more about Iowa agriculture.

Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the farm crawl is an opportunity for an “Iowa adventure.”

“The Crawl offers something for everyone, from authentic agritourism experiences and local food to shopping, sightseeing, and opportunities to connect directly with Iowa farm families and small businesses,” Naig said in a news release. “It’s a fun way to support local communities, discover hidden gems that may be just down the road, and experience firsthand the people and products that make Iowa agriculture special.”

Poll shows increase in local food buying

Sourcing local products is a priority among Iowa grocery shoppers, according to a recent poll published by the Iowa Farm Bureau.

The bureau’s latest Food & Farm Index reported that 84% of Iowans have purchased directly from farmers, farm networks or local meat lockers, which is an increase from 69% of Iowans who said they had bought directly from a farm or local producer in the bureau’s 2025 survey.

Nearly 80% of the more than 500 Iowans polled responded that when shopping, they review labels to know how or where food was grown and processed.

The survey, conducted by The Harris Poll, found that 35% of Iowa shoppers look for product labels that show the food was raised, grown, or produced locally.

The survey also found that nearly half of surveyed Iowans said they are trying to increase the protein in their diets and 1 in 5 respondents said they have been consuming more animal-based proteins.

Iowans take local food challenge

More than 240 Iowans have made a public pledge to spend more of their grocery budgets on local food. The Iowa Food System Coalition’s “Iowa local food challenge” asks Iowans to “pledge” an amount they will spend on local goods each week during market season.

The coalition said the goal of the challenge is to keep a portion of the $12.6 billion that Iowans spend on food each year from leaving the state. As of late June, participants in the challenge have pledged to spend more than $260,000 on Iowa produce, meat, eggs, dairy, bread, coffee, flowers, restaurant meals and other goods.

Iowans can also track their local farm shopping with the Choose Iowa passport, and earn rewards for ticking off stops.

The Choose Iowa farm runs from June 26-17 and is a self-guided event with 59 participating farms and markets. Stops are highlighted on an interactive map to help crawlers plan their route, from greenhouses to honey farms, mercantiles and meat lockers. The map, and a Facebook event page, provide details on the offerings at each stop.