Corn Belt, major agricultural region of the U.S. Midwest where corn acreage once exceeded that of any other crop. It is now commonly called the Feed Grains and Livestock Belt. Located in the north central plains, it is centered in Iowa and Illinois and extends into S Minnesota, SE South Dakota, E Nebraska, NE Kansas, N Missouri, Indiana, and W Ohio. Large-scale commercial and mechanized farming prevails in this region of deep, fertile, well-drained soils and long, hot, humid summers. The belt produces much of the U.S. corn crop, but agriculture has diversified; soybeans are an important yield. Winter wheat and alfalfa are also significant crops in the area.
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