There is one additional dairy that has established an Iowa base, but has done so under an E-2 Visa. All of the others are utilizing the EB-5 Visa and have located in one of the 77 Iowa counties designated by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. The economic impact of these new dairies is very significant. A Minnesota source estimates total economic impact of a dairy to be $15,000 per cow. That would give an economic impact of $15,000,000 on Iowa's economy from the first 4 immigrant dairy farm families to establish in Iowa.

extension county extension education directors Summary and ImplicationsGrowing the dairy industry in Iowa has taken many facets. The Iowa New Farms Project started 4 years ago with 3 pilot communities, Butler County, Stacyville, and Brooklyn. The first dairy relocated to Butler County and started operation on November 15, 2005. The 350 cow dairy is owned by a former Dutch dairy farmer who immigrated to the United States on an EB-5 visa. Additional dairy farm families are in the process of developing their business plans for a similar move in 2006.