Listening to Local Industry: Key Takeaways from GreenSeam’s Le Sueur County BRE Visits

In October 2025, GreenSeam partnered with Le Sueur County and the Cities of Le Center, Le Sueur, and Montgomery to conduct Business Retention & Expansion (BRE) visits with nine food and agricultural businesses across northwest Le Sueur County. These one-on-one conversations are a cornerstone of GreenSeam’s work, helping local and regional economic development partners better understand the real-world needs of businesses related to workforce, infrastructure, capital, and market conditions.

By listening directly to employers, GreenSeam and its partners gain insights that inform future collaboration, resource alignment, and regional economic development priorities.

A Diverse and Interconnected Agricultural Economy

The participating businesses represented a wide range of food and agricultural sectors, including food processing, ingredient and equipment manufacturing, mobile meat processing, consumer goods, agritourism, and business services. Together, they reflect the interconnected nature of Le Sueur County’s agricultural economy, where producers, manufacturers, and service providers rely on one another to support the broader food and agriculture supply chain.

Agriculture remains a core pillar of local economic activity. The industry supports one in four local jobs and generates nearly $1 billion in annual sales. Food and beverage manufacturing roles are nine times more concentrated in Le Center, Le Sueur, and Montgomery than the national average, while upstream suppliers of equipment, components, packaging, and veterinary pharmaceuticals contribute roughly 450 high-wage jobs in the area.*

Growth Trends and Investment Plans

Most business leaders reported steady growth over the past year, with two-thirds indicating plans to pursue facility upgrades or expansions within the next five years. These investments are largely driven by product diversification, increased demand, and workforce growth—particularly among manufacturers serving national or global markets.

At the same time, agricultural producers described a more challenging year. Weather-related yield losses and low commodity prices led to reduced spending and slowed investment, underscoring the varying conditions across different segments of the agricultural ecosystem.

Workforce Conditions and Talent Pipelines

Workforce conditions varied across businesses. Roughly half of the companies expressed satisfaction with staffing levels and employee retention, often relying heavily on word-of-mouth recruitment. Others reported ongoing challenges hiring skilled tradespeople, diesel technicians, assemblers, and seasonal labor.

Several businesses experiencing hiring gaps noted limited or no engagement with nearby colleges or workforce programs. This presents an opportunity to strengthen training pipelines and industry–education partnerships, particularly through South Central College and other regional workforce initiatives.

Community Strengths and Barriers to Growth

Community sentiment among participating businesses was largely positive. Food and agribusiness leaders consistently cited Tri-City United Public Schools, the area’s small-town feel, and strong community networks as key assets for both business operations and quality of life.

At the same time, many identified housing shortages, childcare gaps, and zoning or building restrictions as barriers to business expansion and employee recruitment. Improved alignment between local governments and employers on development priorities emerged as a key area for continued collaboration.

Turning Insights Into Action

GreenSeam has shared these findings with local economic development partners to help inform planning and decision-making. Each participating business received customized resource recommendations and follow-up support through GreenSeam’s regional network.

These conversations reinforce the value of ongoing engagement with businesses and communities as GreenSeam works to support a resilient, competitive, and connected food and agriculture economy across southern Minnesota and northern Iowa.

To learn more about GreenSeam’s Business Retention & Expansion Program, visit www.greenseam.org/bre.

*Economic data from Lightcast