Adopting innovation across the state

Through campus and regional specialists and staff in 100 county extension offices, Iowa State University Extension and Outreach carries out the university's land-grant mission of discovery, learning and engagement. Extension connects Iowans with opportunities to innovate, including youth engaging in hands-on AI education, food entrepreneurs trying a mobile processing cart and farmers examining livestock tech in the field.

Youth build AI skills through 4-H

As artificial intelligence continues to advance across Iowa businesses and industries, Iowans must learn how and when to use it, not only in today's workplace but also for jobs of the future. That’s why in Iowa 4-H, youth are learning how to use AI responsibly. They’re engaging in real-world innovation, so they'll be well equipped for success, whether they are headed to higher education or directly into the workforce.

Over 10,000 Iowa youth engaged in AI-focused education during the 4-H programming year, September 2024 through August 2025. Preliminary outcomes show they made significant gains in digital literacy, critical thinking and interest in STEM careers.

Iowa 4-H Youth Development offers specific AI challenges, but "it's not just one big program," said Alexa Groff, 4-H STEM education specialist with ISU Extension and Outreach, who also is a National 4-H AI specialist. Iowa youth can learn about AI alongside STEM, agriculture, communication and other interests. For example:

• Iowa 4-H was instrumental in developing the National 4-H Artificial Intelligence Challenge, as well as the National 4-H AI in Agriculture Challenge. These competitions invite youth to use AI to tackle real-world issues. In 2025, Iowa youth claimed top honors in both challenges. This year, youth aged 13 to 18 will develop projects that use AI to solve problems facing their communities.
• During Iowa 4-H AI Bootcamp, delivered in collaboration with the ISU Translational AI Center, youth engage in projects involving machine learning, data ethics and real-world AI applications across agriculture, health and environmental systems.
• Iowa 4-H's National Computer Science Week Toolkit features activities for use during the annual December event, as well as all year long. Schools, after-school programs, 4-H clubs, community groups and families can use the activities to integrate computational thinking and AI concepts into everyday learning.

"Artificial intelligence is no longer just a concept of the future -- it is part of the world our youth are growing up in today. By giving them the chance to explore AI through fun, accessible activities, we are helping them build confidence and skills that will serve them in school, careers and life," Groff said.

"AI is becoming increasingly more prevalent in society,” said Polk County 4-H member Henry Zou, who captured first place in his age division in the 2025 National 4-H AI in Agriculture Challenge. 

“I think as young people, it's our responsibility to have an understanding of AI so we can create the regulations and make sure that AI is being used safely and effectively," Zou said.

Boone County 4-H member Madelyn Grothus participated in a recent 4-H activity using AI coding to create original music. She said, “I would love to learn more about how AI works, how it grows and how it develops, and how it can continue to help us in the future as it keeps developing."

When Iowa's young people have opportunities to engage in real-world innovation, they can develop the critical thinking, creativity and digital literacy skills that are essential for their success in school and as future members of Iowa’s workforce.

Crop Cart puts food processing on wheels

Small-scale farmers and food entrepreneurs may dream of developing innovative products to improve the shelf life of their fruits and vegetables and increase their profitability. But they can’t turn their dreams into reality without access to a commercial kitchen.

Since 2017, ISU Extension and Outreach has been working between, across and beyond Iowa State academic and extension disciplines to address the issue. The result: a mobile fruit and vegetable processing cart to help Iowans develop value-added products. As an extra benefit, they can learn about food safety, nutrition, business development and other essential topics for adding more value to their products. The multi-disciplinary extension team piloted the prototype in 2021, with partnership from undergraduate students, and then evolved the design based on user feedback related to ease of use, accessibility and functionality.

In 2025, ISU Extension and Outreach contracted with MFI (Merchandising Frontiers Inc.) in Winterset to fabricate the next generation design. Now in 2026, extension's Crop Cart initiative is putting food processing on wheels for use across the state.

"The ISU Crop Cart is a new and exciting initiative that aims to deliver hands-on programming," said Lisa Bates, assistant director of extension's Community and Economic Development unit. "Anyone from aspiring food entrepreneurs and local farmers to community organizations, families and youth can benefit from this interactive and applied product development and educational tool."

"Three Crop Carts are available for rent from ISU Extension and Outreach offices in Cass, Washington and Winneshiek counties," added Courtney Long, food systems program manager with extension’s Farm, Food and Enterprise Development program. The carts offer Iowans an entry point to value-added processing and training.

"The Crop Cart initiative lets individuals and businesses try this equipment without having to make the initial investment," Long said.

Winneshiek County produces a large quantity of fresh fruits and vegetables, noted Alexandria McIntyre, Winneshiek County program director. "We have a vibrant network of growers who consistently seek ways to add value to their produce and expand their business opportunities. Many local growers are eager for educational resources that can help them develop value-added products, enhance food safety practices and explore innovative processing techniques. The crop cart provides an ideal, hands-on solution to meet these needs."

In addition, county extension teams will use the carts to provide food safety training and nutrition and health education.

"We have several local coalitions and groups that focus on farm and food education," said Kate Olson, Cass County director. "We have many partners and events where this cart will be an additional resource extension can bring to increase education and outreach activities to local residents."

Increasing self-reliance regarding food needs is a priority for Washington County decision-makers, added county director Andy Miller. He said the crop cart will allow local producers "to turn excess seasonal produce into shelf-stable or frozen products, directly reducing food waste and increasing the availability of nutritious food for our local food pantries and families year-round."

With access to ISU Crop Carts for creating value-added food products, along with training tools and community engagement, Iowa's food innovators can test product recipes, expand businesses and provide a gateway for healthy food, spurring economic growth in their communities.

What the cattle are wearing

Technology-loaded collars on cattle are examples of agricultural innovations that livestock producers and ag industry professionals are exploring with help from ISU Extension and Outreach. They want practical, experience-based learning so they can optimize emerging precision beef technologies for greater efficiency and profitability.

The Iowa Beef Center demonstrated several of these technologies at a fall 2025 field day held in partnership with South Dakota State University Beef Extension.

"This field day was really a joint effort to bring some of the resources to the producer out into the field," said Erika Lundy-Woolfolk, an ISU Extension and Outreach beef field specialist.

Producers were able to get hands-on with technologies that allow cattle to be contained by virtual fencing and that provide opportunities to utilize forage resources more conveniently.

"We have the flexibility to change those paddocks, to rotate those cows, at a time when maybe we’re not physically in the pasture. Maybe it’s in the evening while we’re sitting on the couch, or maybe it's at our day job, sitting at our desk over our noon lunch hour," Lundy-Woolfolk said.

Field day host Matt Vermeersch grazes his cattle on cover crops. He said, “We have all these different seedings, different times we’re planting them, different times we’re grazing them. In the past we'd have to have fencing set up between them to keep the cows out of the fresh planting and keep them where they belong. Well now, I don't have to do that. I can use the virtual fencing, keep the cows where I want them to stay and not have to worry about them getting out and going to the place where I don’t want them."

Without the collars and virtual fencing system, "you might check the cows once a day, seeing them for 10 minutes. Everything looks fine in that 10 minutes," he said. However, the collars and virtual fencing system collect data 24/7.

"You truly know what’s going on," Vermeersch said. "We use that data to make the right decisions at the right time."

In a follow-up survey, field day participants said the fall learning opportunity increased their understanding and knowledge of virtual fencing, wearable ear tags and sensors, cyber security awareness, and performance and data management systems. They also reported that they'd like to learn more about virtual fencing and tag research, applying data, software to help align different data types and using drones for pasture systems.

A second field day is planned for spring 2026 to provide more hands-on learning experiences with available precision beef technologies.

When Iowa farmers and ag industry professionals can make more informed decisions about optimizing technology, farm efficiency and profitability improve -- boosting the farm economy and helping rural communities thrive.