Members of the VISTA Chapter of SCORE nominated American Natural Soy in Cherokee, Iowa for an Iowa Small Business Award. On Thursday, May 7th, Mark and Julie Schuett, owners of ANS, were honored at the annual SMART Conference in Des Moines. The company was named the 2009 Iowa Small Business Export Business of the Year.

Organic soybeans, canola, sunflower, safflower, and flax seeds are taken from raw product to packaged product at American Natural Soy. The processor is growing to meet consumer demand for organic products, having just invested in a significant organic oil refining expansion that doubled its capacity. That economic activity has meant many positive things to Cherokee and the surrounding region.