Postville, Iowa had traditionally thrived on the meatpacking industry. Over time, the labor pool shifted as the major meat processors lowered wages and accelerated production. Locals moved away to find other work, and immigrants were recruited to fill the gap. The town's population has doubled over the last ten years, with 69 percent of the workforce being foreign. This has enabled the meatpacking plants to stay in business, but it has been difficult to create communities with residents who do not plan to stay long-term and come from such different cultures.
See Noel C. Paul, The Christian Science Monitor, August 19, 2001