While Iowa’s known as a global leader in agriculture, it will soon be home to one of the world’s biggest aquaculture facilities. Plans are moving forward to build the Hawkeye State’s first major fish farm in north-central Iowa. Keith Driver is president of Vero Blue Farms, based in Plano, Texas. The company is cementing a proposal to build a major operation in Webster City.
The fish farm aims to employ 150 people and produce 40-million pounds of fish per year. It will be located in a former warehouse once used by Electrolux Home Products, which closed in 2011 when washer-dryer production was moved to Mexico.
Vero Blue is finalizing the contract with the city for water management into and out of the facility and the company plans to build a multi-million dollar waste water treatment plant on-site.
The project was first announced in the fall of 2014. It is hoped the facility will open later this year. The aquaculture operation will house the barramundi species of fish, also known as Australian sea bass.
