Why This Film

For more than a century, the Midwestern U.S.A. has been known as the Corn Belt. Over the last 60 years, farmers have increasingly focused on just two crops: corn and soybeans. But today, across the region, farmers, entrepreneurs, and community leaders are driving a renaissance in locally grown food.

The Diverse Corn Belt follows three innovators who are reimagining family farms, building new markets, and creating value-added businesses. Together, they demonstrate how greater agricultural diversity can improve soil health, strengthen resilience to economic and environmental challenges, and create new opportunities for farmers and rural communities.

More than a farming documentary, The Diverse Corn Belt shares the stories of the people working to grow a resilient future — one rooted in healthier land, stronger local economies, and a broader vision for the future of the Corn Belt.