I grew up in Newton and went to college in Ames and Iowa City. I know Fort Dodge well.
I didn’t mean to say you don’t have great BBQ. I meant to say you’re not known for BBQ …like Texas is.
Cheers!
Well, it’s a small world after all! Had a sister and her husband who lived in Boone. Spent my honeymoon in Ames…first wife. Short marriage!
Our most recent visits to Iowa were to attend the funerals of family members.
We like Iowa, and Ft. Dodge. Even briefly considered moving back.
I was going to say, Iowa is in the top 3 for pork production. Someone has to have figured it out. I’ve never heard of a style of BBQ specific to Iowa though.
The Iowa topography is best suited for agricultural purposes, vs livestock growing. Corn, soybeans, oats. Not sure, but I think they raise a fair amount of barley. In the southern part of the state, it is hilly so growing crops is not well suited. That is where you find the largest cattle producers.
Not that it really matters but I’ve live in Iowa my entire life and I have never seen barley grown here.
The majority crops are corn and soybeans for sure, but you see all kinds of stuff here.
There are a few farmers trying out hops too.
If it can be grown or raised, someone in Iowa is trying to do it. The numbers I quoted earlier came from State/Federal livestock surveys.
Barley is generally raised in North Dakota. It gets too warm here for barley to be a viable cash crop.
Like I said, it doesn’t really matter but I’d hate folks to drive through thinking they’ll see lots of barley fields. 
Paul
I was certain there was a website on barley crops in Iowa. Just did another search, did not find it. No matter, Iowan’s grow corn for gas-o-hol.
Miller Malting is between Cedar Rapids and Dubuque, they probably account for 90%+ of Iowa barley. Subsidies are better in corn for sure.
https://www.millermalting.com/
Cool! I knew it was on the web somewhere!