The population of northern Colorado is booming, and we're not just talking about people here.
The number of dairy cows is now higher than ever.
At the northern edge of the state, Weld and Larimer counties are already home to high numbers of beef and dairy cattle, buttressed by the region's numerous feedlots, which send the animals to several nearby slaughterhouses. But an expansion of a cheese factory owned by dairy giant Leprino Foods will require even more cows.
When a big food company builds a factory, it does more than just bring in new industry. Farmers change what they grow, expand their herds and buy new land. When a new meatpacking plant or dairy company rolls into town, it can quite literally change the landscape around it.
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