Inland Waterways
Corn Belt Ports
Corn Belt Ports: Connecting America’s Heartland to Global Markets
As Bob Sinkler, Executive Director, Corn Belt Ports (CBP) likes to say, CBP took what was essentially a ‘black hole’ of transport and logistics in America’s heartland and created a cooperative association of port facilities throughout the region that work collaboratively to raise the profile and logistics of agriculture products that are synonymous with the national economy, with more than $100m in freight shipments annually and growing 5% annually.
By Greg Trauthwein
In the heart of America’s farm belt, a quiet revolution in freight logistics is reshaping how agricultural products move from Midwestern fields to global markets. The Corn Belt Ports (CBP), established in 2019, are a rising force in inland maritime commerce, bringing recognition, infrastructure investment, and strategic alignment to a region that moves over 100 million tons of freight annually but had long been absent from the U.S. ports map.
From “0” to Top 50
“The reality was we had no federally recognized ports between St. Louis and St. Paul, or St. Louis and Chicago,” said Robert Sinkler, one of the architects behind Corn Belt Ports. “That changed when over 50 riverfront counties across five states came together to form four regional rural partnership ports.”
What began as a local initiative quickly gained national and global traction. Two of CBP’s four port regions are now ranked among the Top 50 Ports by Global Trade Magazine, with the other two listed in the Top 100. The initiative’s cooperative structure, built on a farmer co-op model, emphasizes collaboration over competition. Unlike many coastal ports, CBP port regions don’t compete for cargo; each serves its immediate geographic area, fostering efficiency and equity across the network.
An Economic Engine for the Midwest
The numbers underscore the significance of the effort. In Illinois and Iowa alone, waterborne commerce through Corn Belt Ports supports 350,000 jobs, generates $22 billion in personal income, and contributes nearly $40 billion to gross state product. Collectively, the five-state region accounts for more than $100 billion in economic output tied to maritime activity.
CBP’s impact is also quantifiable in infrastructure: since its formation, the region has attracted more than $2 billion in investment—including five Port Infrastructure Development Program (PIDP) grants. “Two-thirds of the inland waterway PIDP grants last year went to Corn Belt Ports,” Sinkler noted. “That’s unprecedented.”
Image courtesy Corn Belt Ports (CBP)
The reality was we had no federally recognized ports between St. Louis and St. Paul, or St. Louis and Chicago. That changed when over 50 riverfront counties across five states came together to form four regional rural partnership ports.”
- Robert Sinkler,
Executive Director, Corn Belt Ports (CBP)
Infrastructure Priorities: Modernizing Locks, Local Access
Key priorities for the Corn Belt Ports today fall into two categories: modernizing inland waterways, and improving landside port access. Many locks and dams along the Upper Mississippi were built in the 1930s and are now ill-suited for today’s commercial barge traffic. “We’re still forcing modern 15-barge tows through locks built for steamboats,” Sinkler said. “We need to replace these like we’ve done with old bridges.”
On the landside, investments in mooring cells, rail spurs, dock upgrades, and rural broadband are unlocking new capacity. While these may seem like small projects, collectively they offer major operational gains. “Just building mooring cells for the first time in decades improves traffic flow and reduces environmental impacts,” he added.
CBP has also succeeded in raising the visibility of inland ports. Since its federal recognition, the organization has joined the American Association of Port Authorities, the National Waterways Conference, and Waterways Council Inc., giving the region a seat at the national table. “We felt invisible before,” said Anshu Singh, CBP’s regional development coordinator. “Now we’re telling our story on major platforms, and people are listening.”
The Corn Belt Ports have also formalized their relationship with Louisiana’s coastal ports—their primary maritime trading partner—through a cooperative agreement that aligns the inland-coastal supply chain from the Mississippi River Basin to the Gulf.
Future Vision: Rural Resilience, Global Reach
With projections of 5% annual growth in freight tonnage—driven by increasing corn and soybean production—the Corn Belt Ports are positioning themselves as vital links in the U.S. and global food supply chain. Their model of regional collaboration, rural empowerment, and smart infrastructure investment could become a template for similar efforts elsewhere.
“We don’t want massive projects,” Sinkler said. “Give us the $5 million projects, and we’ll move the needle. Our region is proving that small ports, working together, can have a big impact.”
As global food security and supply chain resilience become increasingly urgent, the rise of Corn Belt Ports offers a timely reminder: some of the most strategic gateways to the world begin not at the coast—but deep in America’s heartland.
