素有鹰眼之州称号的艾奥瓦州正在不断发生新的变化。

对大多数美国人来说，艾奥瓦州（Iowa）意味着农耕之地和美国内陆精神。艾奥瓦州拥有一望无际的农田，风景美不胜收。这里盛产玉米和大豆，在全国首屈一指。同时艾奥瓦州也是活牛和奶制品的主要产地。素有鹰眼之州（Hawkeye State）称号的艾奥瓦州正在不断发生新的变化。

过去20年来，艾奥瓦州的生物技术产业蓬勃发展，风能生产规模占美国第二位，同时也是可再生燃料生产行业的先进地区。

每隔4年，竞选总统的帷幕拉开之际，对于哪一位候选人在大选期间呼声最高，艾奥瓦州的预选会议往往可提供一些早期征兆。

To many Americans, the state of Iowa represents the truest, most enduring part of the country’s identity, calling to mind images of small-town life and hardworking families.

To most Americans, Iowa means two things: farming and the spirit of the American Heartland. While Iowa does have beautiful rolling farmland and scenic vistas like the one above, and while it does lead the country in the production of maize and soybean, and it is a major producer of cattle and dairy products, there's still more going on in what's known as the Hawkeye State. 

In the last 20 years, Iowa has developed a robust biotechnology industry. It's the United States' second biggest producer of wind energy and leads the nation in renewable fuels production. 

And every four years, when the presidential campaign gears up, the Iowa caucus is an early indicator of which candidates have the popular appeal to compete in the general election.