While low commodity prices are pressuring grain farmers across the Corn Belt, Iowa’s agricultural economy is finding resilience through its prosperous livestock sector. 

Thanks to a unique combination of abundant feed, processing infrastructure and a culture of on-farm diversification, analysts say Iowa has cemented its reputation as the premier location for raising animals. 

Speaking on the state of the industry at last week's Farming for the Future conference hosted by the Coalition to Support Iowa's Farmers, Christopher Pudenz, economics and research manager at the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), argued that Iowa is now the "most important livestock state in the entire country." 

This claim is backed by top rankings: Iowa remains number one in corn, pigs and egg production, but it is the rapid expansion of other sectors — specifically dairy — that is turning heads.


Dairy industry surge

The dairy industry is one...