AgriBusiness

Most farms in this area are still family farms, perhaps larger that ever before, but still family operations.  Those who farm full time must be bigger in order to survive in today’s economy.  Many small farmers have full-time jobs and farm part-time.  Farmers, when they have a good year, reinvest in their business.  Investment in irrigation benefits areas of light soil-such as the Neumiller potato farm and in other areas insures a crop when we have insufficient rain.

Hog confinements, while still somewhat controversial, are better regulated by EPA involvement to prevent problems such as runoff into streams. Most in this area feed out the hogs rather than farrow.  Spreading of the by-product has been improved by injecting into soil rather than spraying.

Corn and soybeans are the most abundant commodities although specialty crops are gaining in popularity. Major seed corn companies contract with local farmers to grow hybrids. Currently, grain is sold on the local markets, either at the Mississippi River terminal, the local grain terminal or the rail terminal.  Ethanol plants are under consideration in Fulton, Annawan, Henepin, and Galva.  When these plants become operational they will create increase demand and be a new and exciting market for corn.  A by-product of the ethanol production will be corn gluten, which can be used to increase livestock production.

In a brief survey of some local businesses 20 to 70% of the business is Ag related

The community is surrounded by grain and livestock farms which supports the local grain elevator, implement dealers, feed and seed sales and trucking companies. Ag related businesses add over $30 million in annual retail sales to the Prophetstown area.  Sweet corn, hi-oil corn, snap beans and peas are growing in popularity.

Local agribusiness, on and off the farm, is taking advantage of new technology. Many Prophetstown farmers are making the move to computerization with the integration of GPS (Global Positioning System) into their farming operations, and local Internet accessibility.