Northwest Iowa — According to a new economic impact study on the state’s beef industry, in Sioux and Lyon counties alone, the beef industry represents approximately one billion dollars of economic activity.
Iowa beef producers are touting their industry throughout the month of May as part of beef month activities. The Iowa Beef Center based at Iowa State University recently conducted the study. Center director Dan Loy says the industry has been gaining ground here in the last decade.
He says the resurgence is due in part to the growing ethanol industry and better competitiveness with the an abundance of ethanol by-products to feed to cattle.
Loy worked with Agricultural Economist Lee Schultz and determined the state’s beef industry is responsible for generating six-point-three billion dollars in revenue for the state.
He says the industry is responsible for around 32-thousand jobs.
Loy says consumer demand for beef has been on the rise again in both the domestic market, and the international export trade. He says check-off dollars spent on the “Beef, its what’s for dinner” campaign has assisted with that increase in demand for beef.
