Business : Dream Big, Grow Here: Vote for Benton County\'s Cricket Farmer

When starting or growing your business, one thing is for sure: capital is a necessity to make your dreams come true. The Dream Big, Grow Here program is sponsored by the University of Northern Iowa’s Center for Innovation and Growth in an effort to help emerging entrepreneurs in Eastern Iowa. Entrepreneurs have the opportunity to be awarded a $5000 grant, but a great deal of work needs to happen secure that funding. The path starts with an application period, online presentations and voting, followed by profession coaching and pitching your business at Iowa’s largest entrepreneurial event, EntreFEST.
One business in Benton County needs your help. Becky Herman, Jason Herman and Jared Van Hamme, Jason and Jared are graduates of Belle Plaine High School, have set out to make their dream come true and grow their business in Benton County. Their business? It is quite unique; Iowa Cricket Farmer is one of only a few businesses in the county that specializes in raising organic crickets for human consumption and the ONLY in the state of Iowa. “The demand for human-edible crickets is higher than the supply, so we are looking to fill part of that void,” Becky writes. Becky, Jason and Jared have done great research on the health benefits of insects for human consumption, but chose to raise crickets because they are the “gateway bug”. They explain, “Crickets are already accepted as a good source of protein in the health market community, and we are hoping to bring them into the mainstream community here in Iowa.”
Iowa Cricket Farmer will establish their business in a 3800 sq. ft. building on the Keystone Main Street, which previously housed a restaurant. Their estimate is that they will produce at least 1500 lbs of crickets every six weeks once operations are fully running. Most of the cost of raising the crickets will come from feeding the crickets and keeping the building warm enough for the crickets to breed (85-90 degrees F). Any funding that they would be awarded will also go towards tents for cricket breeding chambers.
Now, Iowa Cricket Farmer needs your help to get to the next step! And this cannot wait; voting is only open from February 8th until February 12th. To vote, please visit www.dreambiggrowhere.com, navigate to the “Vote” tab and search Iowa Cricket Farmer. If you would like the direct link for voting, please email the BDG office. You can vote on time per day. To ensure all voters only vote once per day, you will be asked to use your personal Facebook account to cast your vote. You do not have a Facebook account? You can set one up for free by logging in to facebook.com! When casting your vote for Iowa Cricket Farmer, remember you are also voting for a better, stronger, more vibrant, more diverse Benton County. Each vote is appreciated by all. Don’t forget to share with your friends and family!
Happy voting and don't forget you can cast your vote once per day! See a video of the Cricket Farm below: [VIDEO]