The dairy industry is a vital part of Northeast Iowa’s economy.
Goal: Keep dairy industry strong
Community leaders in Northeast Iowa are concerned about
the dairy industry remaining a vital part of the regional economy. In
response, the Northeast Iowa Community-Based Dairy Foundation is focusing
its efforts on retaining existing dairy farm families and increasing their
operations, fostering the development of new family dairy operations and
recruiting dairy families to the region. Those efforts are having far-reaching
effects.
“The focus on family-based dairy farms has attracted the attention
of dairy industry leaders from the Netherlands who have connections in
Northeast Iowa,” said Paul Brown, Iowa State University Extension
area education director for Northeast Iowa. “Due to restructuring
of the Dutch dairy industry, young dairy farm families are actively exploring
emigration opportunities. These young farm families want to relocate and
are considering sites in the United States, Canada and around the world.”
In January, Dale Thoreson, ISU Extension dairy specialist, and Brown
were invited to an emigration fair held in the Netherlands. “Four
thousand people attended the two-day fair. We visited with more than 60
couples in their 20s, 30s or 40s who expressed interest in Iowa. They
are interested in dairy operations consistent with modern family-based
dairies in Northeast Iowa -- not mega-size operations,” Brown said.
In 1998 there were 2,453 dairy herds in Northeast Iowa. By 2001 the number
of herds decreased to 1,984. “That’s a tremendous loss in just
three years,” said Nick Rolling, president of the Dairy Foundation
board. “The Dutch dairy families have a good work ethic and the financial
resources to relocate here. They speak English and want to become fully
integrated in the culture, churches and schools of their new communities.”
Several Northeast Iowa communities want to reach out and welcome a number of these families. They have asked ISU Extension to help them with social, economic and environmental planning, Brown said. “These communities are extremely concerned about the loss of people and livestock operations over the past 20 years. This summer we hope to establish some linkages and relationships between Dutch families and Northeast Iowa communities.”
Contact Laura Sternweis, editor, lsternwe@iastate.edu.
Visit the ISU Extension homepage.
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Last update: June 2002