Agricultural communities in the Midwest face ongoing economic, environmental, and social challenges. A variety of research shows that increasing diversity in an agricultural system can help overcome these challenges. The Diverse Corn Belt (DCB) is a USDA-NIFA funded project focuses on developing an evidence-based framework and vision of how to enable a more diverse agricultural landscape across the Corn Belt (Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana). This interdisciplinary project is exploring and promoting diversity at the farm, landscape, and market levels through Research, Extension, and Education. We have completed 18 focus groups across Indiana, Illinois and Iowa with conventional and diversified farmers, interviews with horticultural growers, and surveys of retailers, processors, and consumers. Last year we presented results from focus groups and interviews. This year, we add results from survey findings to highlight gaps between different stakeholders in the horticultural value chain, as well as the most valuable food labels among consumers, retailers, and processors.
