A project of Purple Ribbon Beef LLC of Britt was one of 26 to receive a Choose Iowa Value Added Grant from the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship on March 20 in Des Moines.
Purple Ribbon Beef received a $24,324 grant to be applied to its total project cost of $48,647. It will help convert a warehouse to a commercial kitchen and a new on-farm store. The local project will increase and diversify its agricultural product availability.
Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, Iowa raised, and Iowa made products. These cost-share grants, which match up to $25,000 per project. In addition to helping increase product offerings, the grants were created to assist Iowa farmers, businesses, and nonprofit organizations expand markets and shorten supply chains.
“Consumers are continually looking for more Iowa food, beverages, and ag products to enjoy and these Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants will help Iowa farmers, small businesses, and non-profits build that supply,” said Iowa Agriculture Secretary Mike Naig. “We are so pleased to provide these Choose Iowa cost-share investments because they will enhance the availability of Iowa products while creating positive economic activity in communities, big and small, across our state.”
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This year’s grants will support a wide variety of projects including delivery and cold storage for direct-to-consumer meat sales, fruit production and processing, vegetable processing, packaging equipment, cider and wine canning and bottling, farm store and food hub construction, honey production, culinary herb, lavender and cut flower production, warehouse capacity, cover crop seed distribution, agritourism opportunities, and more.
Since being launched in 2022, nearly $1.2 million in Choose Iowa Value-Added Grants have been awarded to 67 projects, which has leveraged a total investment of more than $4.2 million.
Purple Ribbon Beef evolved from the five-generation Hunter family-owned farm. Now based in Britt, the business previously featured its own store front in Clarion. Choose Iowa Value-Added Grant monies will help build its new Purple Ribbon General Store on the farm in Britt as well as a commercial kitchen.
Purple Ribbon Beef raises premium beef cattle from birth and provides consumers direct access to beef products for their kitchen tables. Like Pete and Cindy Hunter, Jess and Ashley (Hunter) Recknor first met at a cattle show and have helped expand the family farm legacy. Their daughter, Rylan, was at her first cattle show at two weeks old.
As youth, Ashley and her sister Sara traveled across the country showing animals from the farm. They claimed many grand champion awards, hence the name Purple Ribbon Beef. Using practices for sustainability, family members are eager to keep the family farm prosperous for future generations. They use the farm’s corn crops as a main ingredient in the cattle’s diet.
Purple Ribbon Beef began in 2016. That’s when Ashley’s father and husband were managing a farm and cattle for a farmer ready to retire. The family soon decided to focus on the direct to consumer business headed by Ashley, who has entrepreneur education and work experience. It started small by occasionally attending farmers markets, but within a year they were a full-time vendor in the Ames Main Street Farmers Market.
Purple Ribbon Beef now features online orders and shipping through the central United States, is a regular vendor at three farmers markets, works with three cooperatives, and more. It is Beef Quality Assurance certified, which ensures the highest standard of practices are used on the farm.
Purple Ribbon Beef is on social meeting and has a weekly newsletter. For more information, visit https://purpleribbonbeef.com/ or find them on Facebook and Instagram.