Corn Belt Ports and Mid-America Port Commission sign Memorandum of Understanding

By Editor | June 11, 2024 |

The Corn Belt Ports (CBP) and the Mid-America Port Commission (MAPC) entered into a formal partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 21. MAPC was established by a three-state compact between Illinois, Iowa and Missouri in 1999. This map shows the 26 counties included in the compact. (Submitted graphic)

The Corn Belt Ports (CBP) and the Mid-America Port Commission (MAPC) entered into a formal partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 21. This shows the CPBs regional ports along the Mississippi and Illinois rivers in the Midwest. (Submitted graphic)

By DAVID CAMPHOUSE

The Corn Belt Ports (CBP) and the Mid-America Port Commission (MAPC) entered into a formal partnership by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on May 21.
CBP are the federally recognized Ports in the Heart of the Corn Belt above Locks and Dam 26 on the Upper Mississippi River System (The Upper Mississippi River and Illinois Waterway).
The Corn Belt Ports are distinct regional units of government (or official government collaborations) that are county-based, long, linear, rural, multi-modal transportation features with boundaries compatible with existing regional planning agencies.
MAPC was established by a three-state compact between Illinois, Iowa and Missouri in 1999. It is the only three-state port compact in the United States.
Twenty-six counties are included in the compact. It was established to help develop the most effective area for logistics in the nation for both domestic and global freight.
MAPC, located in the Upper Mississippi and Illinois River basins, exists to increase economic development in rural and underserved areas in Iowa, Illinois, and Missouri through improved river infrastructure and increased use of the inland waterways.
The agreement between the two entities marks a step towards enhancing collaboration for mutual goals, including increased investment, economic activity, and job creation within one of the nation’s largest rural, regional inland ports.
The MOU outlines a framework for both organizations to leverage their combined technical expertise and personnel resources to advocate for and secure federal, state, local government, and private investments in multi-modal and natural infrastructure.
“MAPC, exists to increase economic development in rural and underserved areas in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri through improved river infrastructure and increased use of the multi-modal infrastructure in the region to include road, rail, inland waterways, and airports. This partnership supports our strategic goals and objectives and directly supports our efforts to serve the Tri-State (IL, IA, MO) region. There is tremendous value in the alignment of the four rural regional ports that comprise the CBP. It makes us all more competitive when seeking investment in man-made and natural infrastructure,” MAPC Chairman Blake E. Roderick said.
The collaboration between CBP and MAPC will bolster the region’s economic landscape, ensuring sustained growth and development. Both parties are committed to working together to attract sustained investment and drive forward-looking projects that benefit the entire region