Rooted for success, Part 1: Sioux County's ag heritage spurs economic vitality
23.02.12
SIOUX CENTER, IA. — If manure smells like money and in February 2012 the commodity markets say it does then Sioux County is the wealthiest place in the state.
Truckloads of cows and pigs rumble south every day on U.S. Highway 75 on their way to slaughterhouses in Omaha and Dakota City, Neb. Profit flows back into the towns of Rock Valley, Hull, Sioux Center and Orange City.
Something more than a livestock boom is going on. Theres an industrial revolution in Rock Valley, where commuters travel from 66 zip codes to churn out hinges, valves, tractor parts and backhoe buckets. Scientists at firms in Sioux Center explore animal genetics, sorting eggs and sperm to improve herds and clone animals to find cures for human diseases.
In a state where small towns are losing their factory jobs, their Main Streets and their people, this part of the northwest corner of the state is moving in the opposite direction. Dollars earned from cattle and hogs have fertilized a field of innovation and growth, and the recovery is blooming.
Source: DesMoinesRegister.com