CANTON, MO. — Corn Belt Ports is proud to expand its regional port model inside the Corn Belt’s Lock and Dam System with the opening of a new office on the campus of Culver-Stockton College. The team will host a ribbon-cutting ceremony and reception on January 18, 2024, at 10 AM, at the Johnson-Turner Innovation, Design, and Experimental Activities (IDEA) Center located in the larger Gladys Crown Student Center. The office will also support the Tri-State (IL, MO, IA) Mid-America Port Commission (MAPC), one of the four regional Corn Belt Ports, and the Tri-State Development Summit, which is the foundation of the region’s economic development and business cluster.
MAPC was recognized as a Top 50 Power Port by Global Trade Magazine in 2023 and is currently the 39th largest port in the U.S. MAPC was also recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2023 as a Top 25 U.S. Bulk Cargo Port. The regional inland port moved 13.5 million tons of freight and has attracted over $1 billion in federal investment since being federally recognized as a U.S. Port (listed and ranked) in 2020. MAPC was also recognized by the U.S. Department of Transportation in 2023 as a Top 25 Bulk Cargo Port. The Corn Belt Ports serves as a unifying force both up and down the river and across the river, and plays a pivotal role in supporting regional economic development while expanding support for sustainable waterborne commerce along the Upper Mississippi River and on the Illinois Waterway. Its coordinating efforts are responsible for establishing the four federally recognized regional inland ports, which handle nearly 100 million tons of freight annually, serving as part of the backbone of our nation’s inland port supply chain.
The continued success of Corn Belt Ports has not gone unnoticed. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Mississippi River Commission has extended its full support for elevated and sustained investment in infrastructure development and channel maintenance.
The ribbon-cutting celebration solidifies Corn Belt Ports’ commitment to influencing a more equitable distribution of resources for the farmers, businesses and communities and protecting the integrity of the supply chain along North America’s largest river system. An office ribbon-cutting is planned in the Northern Grain Belt Ports region before the end of February 2024.
About Corn Belt Ports Corn Belt Ports represents the federally recognized ports within the Corn Belt’s Lock and Dam System. Through continued investment and innovative organizing, Corn Belt Ports supports the integrity and sustainability of inland ports and waterways. The Corn Belt Ports handle nearly 100 million tons of freight annually, which is expected to increase year after year.