The Iowa Great Lakes Association was incorporated in 2008 to address a singular environmentally sensitive issue. A large hog producer was looking to build a hog confinement in Dickinson County. Residents of the Iowa Great Lakes were concerned about the impact this would have on their pristine lakes. It was then that the Iowa Great Lakes Association’s founders created an initiative whereby, “Environmentally concerned community members met with the agriculture industry, found common ground, and worked together to come up with a solution for the common good.”

The respective pork producers shared IGLA’s passion to protect the area and agreed that a buffer with a large enough distance to eliminate any unwanted side effects of livestock farms should be established. The compromise created a four-mile eco-tourism buffer around lakes in the Iowa Great Lakes region.

Today, IGLA has transitioned into a multi-issue organization that strives to keep all members abreast of current issues and initiatives that may affect the Iowa Great Lakes.

Community members can also look to IGLA to keep them updated on local events and activities by visiting our Calendar (with a link to the calendar page) You may find everything from news about year-round events to a heads up on new businesses in town.