The animal population of DeKalb County benefits more pocketbooks than many realize. DeKalb County ranks second in Illinois in livestock production, according to a study by Peter Goldsmith, associate professor of agribusiness management at the University of Illinois.

The study, which was commissioned by the Illinois Livestock Development Group (ILDG) and funded in part from the Illinois soybean checkoff, finds that animal agriculture contributes $75 million to the county's local economy.

“Hogs, cattle, poultry and other livestock make up one of the least-appreciated industries in Illinois,” Genoa farmer Paul Rasmussen Jr. said. Rasmussen is an area director at the Illinois Soybean Association. “But DeKalb County reaps the benefits of $99 million in total economic activity from these farms, plus $7.3 million in total taxes.”