Johnson County recently awarded grants to 17 local food businesses, farms, and nonprofits to help improve food production, processing, and distribution in the community.

Even a few years after the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have lessened, local businesses and companies are continuing to feel the impacts. Small food businesses and farms found themselves reeling at increased costs, decreased revenue, lack of labor, and other challenges, according to the Johnson County website.

After seeing their struggles, the Johnson County Board of Supervisors used funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to assist local businesses and farms in November 2021 and create the Community Food and Farm Grant Program, according to the board’s website.

The American Rescue Plan Act is a federal grant that awarded funding to local governments across the nation for relief from the impacts of the pandemic. The goal of the Community Food and Farm Grant Program was to help those small businesses and farms increase food security by improving food production, processing, and distribution.

Ilsa DeWald, the Johnson County local food and farm manager, spoke about the criteria and accomplishments surrounding the program.

DeWald said entities could apply if they were a food or farm business, nonprofit, or individual that produces or distributes community-based food in Johnson County. The entities must also receive less than a million dollars in gross revenue annually and have a connection to the residents of Johnson County.

She said that simply being able to assist local businesses, especially those who were non-English speakers or had never written a grant application before, was one of the most fulfilling accomplishments during the process.

Over 200 food businesses and farms applied, but only 41 applicants were chosen to receive grants, according to the Johnson County website. DeWald said the total amount distributed was over $735,000. The grants were then given out this year in three separate cycles.

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Rod Sullivan, chair of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors, shared how the program came to be and how it’ll impact businesses.

“One of the big things that we noted during the pandemic was the fragility of our food systems, and so having local options for food was a really important thing for us to consider,” Sullivan said. “A lot of these are very small businesses, and so this allowed some of these places to get that delivery truck they needed to really do the deliveries, or to get that freezer that they really needed.”

Sullivan said the businesses were also required to sign a contract with the county and must do mid-year and final reports.

“Each of the grants is actually a contract with the county, and it’s spelled out what they will do,” he said. “We’re following up and checking to make sure that they do what they say they’re going to do.”

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors hopes to be able to provide more grants like these in the future to support local businesses and the community, according to DeWald and Sullivan.

Yotopia, an Iowa City-based self-serve frozen yogurt shop, was one of the local businesses to receive a grant on July 24.

Owner Veronica Tessler said she first heard about the program in 2021 when the board announced applications would be opening. She applied for the first round and was not selected, but that didn’t deter her. Tessler applied for the third round, and her business was accepted.

“We’re all still climbing out of the pandemic times, and we were just looking for ways to expand our product to more people outside of our storefront,” Tessler said.

Applying for the grant also motivated Tessler to take the next step and expand her business to local grocery stores.

“It’s just allowed us and given us a boost to think big about our brand, what sets us apart from a very crowded market within grocery store freezer aisles,” Tessler said.

In addition to expanding her business, Tessler said some of the money from the grant will also be used for a brand refresh, which will focus on supporting local farmers and the company’s impact on the community.

Tessler believes the Community Food and Farm Grant Program will bring positive changes as the grants enhance businesses, create more jobs, and improve food production.

“It’s nice to have this,” Tessler said. “The county acknowledges companies like mine that are trying to do right by our community, by our farmers and by our employees.”