There is absolutely no doubt that the lifeblood of Northwest Iowa, including, of course, Cherokee County, is agriculture and agriculture-related fields.

However, it may come as a surprise that there are not any quality laboratory facilities in the area that can test such things for area farmers as soil content, feedlot manure, groundwater, and wastewater. Samples have to be sent as far away as Omaha or Des Moines to get that testing done. Until now, that is.

Diane (Ducommun) Young a native of Larrabee and a graduate of Cherokee Washington High School, has always had a love of science, agriculture and animals. In 1991 she received a degree from Iowa State University in microbiology and chemistry, with a minor in animal science.
Almost four years ago, Diane went to work for American Natural Soy in Cherokee, serving as their Quality Assurance Director, setting up their laboratory, as well as their Quality and Safety procedures. Still, though, Young felt that she wanted to do something different - something, she says, "where (she) would be able to see the benefits" of her work and also be able to diversify more than she has been doing.

With that in mind, she looked for a building with enough room to set up a full-fledged laboratory, allowing her to provide a more geographically convenient place to provide the testing that farmers and other businesses require in order to operate their businesses. She found such a building in the former Miller-Mac Insurance building on East Maple Street in Cherokee. The Cherokee Area Economic Development Corporation also granted her some business start-up money.
Her new business is now up and running. Her 5-year goal for the business is to have 10 full-time microbiologists and chemists on staff.

Her clients are agri-businesses, including companies that sell feed and other ag-related items which require quality testing. They are also able to analyze food ingredients in their labs, so anyone requiring this service is another potential client. Area farmers can send their soil samples to a more conveniently located lab and receive their results in a much timelier manner.

One of Young's hopes for the business is to encourage young students to develop more of an interest in the sciences, and she plans on contacting area colleges about providing student interns to work in the lab during the summers. Two student interns are currently working in her lab for this summer. Young also hopes to work with area high schools who have strong FFA programs, and get any of those students who are interested involved with the lab to some degree, too.