DYERSVILLE, Iowa (AP) - After generations in Dyersville, a family-owned sale barn is suspending its livestock auctions.
Dyersville Sales Co. will hold its final livestock auction Dec. 30.
Although weekly hay auctions will continue, the elimination of livestock sales marks the end of a longtime tradition for the family business.
“My grandfather built the sale barn, my father ran it and now I’m running it,” said Randy Hess, manager of the sale barn. “People have been coming here for cattle for years. I’ve had some people asking me, ’What are we going to do now?’”
The sale barn was built in 1946 by Hess’ grandfather, O.J. Hess. Since then, Dyersville Sales Co. has held weekly livestock auctions.
Hess told the Telegraph Herald his decision to end the livestock sales stems partly from the declining number of small, family farms in the area that provide cattle to sell.
“That’s where the cattle come from,” Hess said. “The farms are getting bigger, and there are less of them. It makes it harder for me to hold these auctions.”
He noted that he has owned the sale barn for nearly 20 years. Now that he’s in his 60s, he would like to lessen his workload.
“I have to admit that my age is part of the reason why I’m doing it,” Hess said. “I can’t work with the cattle the same way I used to be able to.”
Dale Leslein, an auctioneer for the sale barn, said he was disappointed to hear that livestock auctions are coming to an end.
“It’s sad to hear when something has been there for eight decades but now is going away,” Leslein said. “It was a real part of Dyersville.”
Leslein said the lack of livestock sales in Dyersville will impact the local economy. Auctions regularly draw farmers from around the area into the city.
“The barn gets a lot of people to come to Dyersville, and they often spend money when they are there at other stores,” Leslein said. “Without the livestock auctions, there isn’t going to be that reason to come to town.”
Karla Thompson, executive director of the Dyersville Area Chamber of Commerce, agreed.
“Having it right in the center of town made it an asset to our community,” Thompson said. “It’s going to have an impact, but we still have the hay sales.”
Amanda Herman, manager at Theisen’s Home-Farm-Auto in Dyersville, said her business often saw an increase in traffic on days when livestock auctions were being held.
“On Thursdays, you’ll often see a lot of livestock trailers and trucks in the parking lot,” Herman said.
Although the livestock auctions are ending, Hess insisted Dyersville Sales Co. will be around for years to come. He said he now has more time to focus on hay sales, and he looks forward to continuing the family business.
“We’ve had an amazing group of customers, and I’ve had some amazing employees,” Hess said. “This is what my family made, and I intend to keep running it for a while.”
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Information from: Telegraph Herald, http://www.thonline.com
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