Editing Mason City, Iowa (section)

==Economy==
Mason City has a very diverse employment base covering multiple sectors of the economy including manufacturing, health, financial services, technology and education, with no one sector or employer dominating the market.

The largest employer is [http://www.mercynorthiowa.com/ MercyOne North Iowa Medical Center], formerly known as Mercy Medical Center-North Iowa, and before that as St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, is the region's largest hospital. The facility serves 14 counties across northern Iowa. In June 2019, the hospital opened a new $10.6 million behavioral center. The new center will help MercyOne to increase the number of behavioral health-care services it can offer to those in the community it serves who are struggling with mental illness and substance abuse issues.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McNett |first=Jared |date=17 May 2019 |title=MercyOne to open $10.6 million behavioral center |url=https://globegazette.com/business/mercyone-to-open-10-6-million-behavioral-center/article_34987a41-0c62-5c29-81c5-1189dfb06e40.html |access-date=2022-06-10 |website=Globe Gazette |language=en}}</ref>

Other major employers include door manufacturers Curries (part of [[Assa Abloy]]),<ref>{{cite web |title=About CURRIES |url=https://www.curries.com/en/about-curries |access-date=2023-11-22}}</ref> Woodhardbor Cabinetry Manufacturers, [[Principal Financial]], [[Cargill]] Kitchen Solutions and the [[Kraft Foods]] plant that produces the nation's entire supply of refrigerated ready-to-eat [[Jell-O]] pudding snacks. Mason City is also a major production center for [[Portland cement]]. In November 2007, Reyes Holding / Martin-Brower opened a distribution facility serving McDonald's in 5 states.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.martin-brower.com/ |title=Martin Brower |access-date=2013-06-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130613072650/http://martin-brower.com/ |archive-date=2013-06-13 }}</ref>

In March 2016, North Carolina–based company Prestage Farms proposed to build a $240 million pork processing plant or slaughterhouse in Mason City,<ref>{{cite web | url=http://wcfcourier.com/business/local/new-mason-city-pork-processing-plant-identified-as-prestage-farms/article_06ce2159-372a-51ed-9add-d8b9f82e11a1.html | title=New Mason City pork processing plant identified as Prestage Farms | work=The Courier | date=21 March 2016 | access-date=8 June 2016 | author=John Skipper}}</ref> employing about 1,800 people. In May, the Mason City Council cast a tie vote rejecting the proposed project.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.radioiowa.com/2016/05/05/prestage-farms-to-seek-another-iowa-location-for-pork-plant/ | title=Prestage Farms to seek another Iowa location for pork plant | publisher=Learfield News & Ag, LLC | work=Radio Iowa | date=5 May 2016 | access-date=8 June 2016}}</ref> Plant opponents raised environmental issues and expressed concern about possible harm to property values.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/money/agriculture/2016/06/03/prestage-farms-240-million-pork-processing-plant-mason-city-iowa/85336466/ | title=Prestage to Mason City: No hog plant for you | publisher=Associated Press | work=Des Moines Register | date=3 June 2016 | access-date=8 June 2016}}</ref>