Short on employees, a Lime Springs business recruits international workers

Lime Springs Beef plans to hire approximately 80 additional workers this fall as part of a business expansion.  But the company has been worrying where those workers will come from because of a worker shortage in Howard and Mitchell counties.

The company has been in contact with Iowa State University Extension for help in solving the labor shortage by working with immigrant populations.

Howard and Mitchell county economic development officials say there are some advantages to recruiting the international workers--for instance, they prefer to buy homes rather than rent, generating additional property taxes for the area.

Members of economic development boards and boards of supervisors from Howard and Mitchell Counties have met with Extension officials several times this year and are working now to attract international workers to their area.