Leadership insights from Billi Hunt, executive director of America's Cultivation Corridor.
Across Iowa, individuals, groups and businesses are celebrating
Iowa Ag Week by volunteering for causes and organizations that are important to them. From food pantries and soup kitchens to helping with 4-H and FFA programs, they are celebrating agriculture’s contributions to our rural communities, our state’s economy and quality of life.
While this one-week celebration of agriculture and communities is tremendous to see, what makes it truly exciting is that it isn’t out of the ordinary at all. Whether in my hometown or now living in the Des Moines metro area, I see examples of service every day. It is not uncommon for a producer who is down on their luck to have neighbors help with their livestock or finishing their planting or harvest season. Our Young Professionals in Ag group regularly works together for volunteer service in our community, and recently, when I needed to be with family, our investors and friends showed up and delivered great results for the Corridor.
Service is built into our DNA, making the quality of life that Iowans expect possible. We see it in community festivals and fairs, youth sports teams, high achieving school systems, and vibrant downtowns across Iowa.
In fact, I believe this community focus is one of the reasons that our recent survey of food and ag professionals showed that nearly three-quarters of Iowans rate their quality of life as good or excellent and more than 60% perceive it to be better than the rest of the U.S. Respondents noted the low cost of living, strong community values and a strong sense of belonging.
As Alison Doyle put it in this month’s Why Iowa profile, “Iowa Nice is really a thing. You can expect people here to assume good before bad, to help before walking away. That goes for businesses as well as neighbors.”
I’m also seeing it as we connect members of our Cultivo Virtual Academy cohort with business, research and agriculture leaders across the state. As the six-week program wraps up this week, it is only the beginning of the nine scaleup companies’ relationships in Iowa. They will be having conversations with groups who can provide invaluable insights as they solidify their U.S. market entry plans.
How are you celebrating agriculture’s contributions to Iowa communities and economy? I’d love to hear your stories and celebrate wins in communities across the state.
And if you want to see this spirit for yourself, reach out to connect or visit!
Published March 2025.