Well, Rocky, I'm from Iowa. Left there in 1980 so I've now lived outside the state longer than I lived inside it, but that's where I was reared. It has one of the best public education systems in the country, or used to at least. High literacy rate, etc.
John Deere, Maytag, Winnegago, Pioneer Seed, many amny insurance comanies, Bandag.
Four letter word? Do you mean like Utah? Hmmm....?