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Plymouth Nebraska is located in the state’s southeast corner. It is home to 477 residents, hard-working farmers and a variety of businesses that depend on a strong livestock sector.
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Farmers Cooperative Elevator stands adjacent to the Plymouth post office. It employs more than 35 workers and offers numerous services to area livestock farmers.
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Doug Baade (right), swine feed specialist for Farmers Cooperative Elevator, visits with Kirk Holtmeier, a 31-year-old hog and crop farmer and client. Holtmeier has been caught in a regulatory maze, severely hampering his ability to make necessary changes to his livestock enterprise. When asked wherehe’ll be and what kind of farm he’ll have in 2-5 years, his only answer is “Here, I hope.”
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| Since 1995, Nebraska’s swine inventory has declined by nearly 36 percent. For businesses like Farmers Cooperative, the loss of swine translates into fewer customers. The business has continued to diversify and now includes a tire center, agronomy division, convenience stores, fuel stations and mechanical services. |
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Hog farms like this one located three miles from Reynolds, NE (pop. 104) have been targeted by regulators and those opposed to modern livestock enterprises. “This is the kind of area you need to have livestock,” says Baade. “There’s not much out here and what’s here depends on livestock farming.”
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