An organization representing Iowa’s largest businesses plans to conduct new research to find ways to “attract diverse populations” to the state. The Iowa Business Council warns a lack of skilled workers and slow population growth are major threats to Iowa’s future. Mary Andringa, chairwoman of the board at Vermeer in Pella, is the Iowa Business Council’s chair.

Terry Handley, C-E-O of Casey’s General Stores, is the Iowa Business Council’s vice chair.

Iowa Business Council leaders held a news conference at the statehouse to release what it calls the competitive dashboard signals in Iowa’s economy. It shows that in 2018 the productivity of Iowa’s businesses grew, as did the average household income of Iowans. But Andringa says the percentage of Iowans who have a college degree or some kind of training beyond high school was still “outpaced” by other states. She says Iowa businesses need more workers “from other states or other countries.”