Landus expanding use of inmate work program to Churdan, Paton
August 18, 2021
Landus Cooperative plans to augment its harvest staff in Churdan and Paton with inmates from the Rockwell City prison this fall. Dan Clark, Iowa Prison Industries director, and Adam Yetmar, Rockwell City deputy warden, briefed the county supervisors about the program at the board’s Aug. 16 meeting.
A representative from Landus was also present.
Clark said the inmate work program has been in existence about 30 years and Landus has been a partner since 2018, though the program was shut down for a time due to the pandemic.
“The program allows men and women inmates identified as low risk to work for employers who can’t find enough workers,” Clark said. “Inmates placed in jobs in communities earn $11 an hour. They keep 20 percent of the earnings and the other 80 percent are returned to the state for victim compensation, fines, court-ordered restitution, and other reimbursements.”