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Cousins raise fish in former hog barn

Pat Blank

Cousins and long-time business partners Jeff and Mark Nelson have immersed  themselves in aquaculture. They're growing fish in a part of the country where pork is king. They've converted a former hog confinement building into a farm-raised fish venture called Iowa's First.  They have eighteen, ten thousand gallon tanks filled with hybrid bass which they ship to restaurants all over the country. The Nelsons are also experimenting with growing shrimp. They hope to eventually partner with other farmers in Central Iowa to form a cooperative to reduce the risks and share the costs of the business.

Credit Pat Blank
Jeff (left) and Mark Nelson are partners in the aquaculture business. They've converted a hog barn into a facility filled with fish tanks.

Pat Blank is the host of All Things Considered