Secretary Naig Invites Students to Enter the 2026 Choose Iowa Calendar Contest as Part of Iowa’s America250 Celebration
Selected artwork celebrating agriculture and America will appear in a popular annual coloring calendar
DES MOINES, Iowa (Apr. 7, 2026) - As part of Iowa’s America250 celebration, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig is inviting school-aged Iowa students to participate in the 2026 Choose Iowa Calendar Contest. Choose Iowa is the state’s signature brand for Iowa grown, made, and raised food, beverages and agricultural products. The program was launched by Secretary Naig and is supported by the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship.
Students are invited to submit artwork that combines Iowa agriculture with a patriotic theme as part of Iowa’s celebration recognizing the 250th anniversary of the United States. Submissions should feature at least one aspect of Iowa agriculture, with an emphasis on food, beverages, livestock, crop production, or horticulture, along with elements, themes, or symbols that reflect patriotism or American pride. Submissions will be judged on creativity and connections to agriculture in everyday life, as well as how the artwork incorporates patriotic elements.
Secretary Naig will recognize the winning artists during a special awards ceremony on Tuesday, Aug. 18 in the Agriculture Building during the 2026 Iowa State Fair. Winning submissions will also be included in the 2026/2027 Choose Iowa calendar distributed by the Department during the Iowa State Fair and online at ChooseIowa.com.
“The Choose Iowa Calendar Contest offers school-aged students a fun opportunity to highlight Iowa agriculture and its incredible importance to our state and our country,” said Secretary Naig. “As we celebrate America’s 250th birthday, we’re reminded that many of our nation’s founders were farmers and that agriculture has helped sustain our country and our communities for generations. I encourage students to create artwork that showcases Iowa agriculture while also incorporating elements, themes, or symbols that reflect patriotism and American pride. I invite parents, teachers, and grandparents to help their students get their artwork submitted this spring, and I look forward to celebrating the talented young artists who are selected at the 2026 Iowa State Fair.”
School-aged Iowa students up to 18-years-old are invited to participate. Pictures should be drawn on plain white, 8.5 by 11-inch paper in a horizontal orientation using only black lines. The pictures should not be colored in. For creative inspiration, the 2025/2026 calendar may be viewed here.
Entries can be submitted via the form found on the Choose Iowa website, emailed to chooseiowa@iowaagriculture.gov or mailed to the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship, Attn: Choose Iowa Calendar, 1305 E. Walnut St., Des Moines, IA, 50319. To be eligible for consideration, artwork submissions must be received by the Department by noon on June 1, 2026.
If mailed, each submission should include the printable entry form from the website with basic information about the artist, including the artist’s name, age, grade, school, and hometown as well as the name, email and phone number of a parent or guardian. If the artwork is submitted by the student’s teacher, then the teacher’s name and contact information should also be included.
Learn more about Choose Iowa at ChooseIowa.com.