The $30,000 Secret Hiding Beneath Iowa’s Corn Belt

I take a lot of pride in my home state. With that being said, I'm under no illusion that most people in this country don't even give Iowa a second thought, other than calling it "flyover country" while flying on a cross-country jet from New York to L.A.

But there's one thing the Hawkeye State has that every person the U.S. should be thankful for. The best and richest soil on planet earth. Think that's an overstatement or an exaggeration? You'd be wrong. Iowa has consistently shown it has some of the very best topsoil in the world. In fact, it's so valuable it can sell for $30,000 an acre. This (in part) is thanks to a unique geological feature that's found almost nowhere else. Scientists call it Mollisols. 

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If you were born and raised in Iowa and have never heard of Mollisols, don't feel bad. Even Microsoft Word has it underlined every time you attempt to use it in a sentence. It may not be well known, but it's super important when it comes to Iowa's fertile farmland.

 Mollisols are fertile, dark-colored mineral soils formed under prairie vegetation and are characterized by a thick, organic-rich surface horizon. They are among the most agriculturally productive soils in the world, supporting much of Iowa’s corn and soybean production.

-Iowa State University Website

Mollisol is a technical term for the world's 'Black Earth' soils. There are only a few places on earth with official 'black earth' soil. These include countries that lie along the vast Eurasian Steppe like parts of Ukraine (the breadbasket of the world), Poland, Hungary, and the legendary Chernozem of southern Russia.

But while these country's soil might be on-par with Iowa's, the Hawkeye State beats them when it comes to annual precipitation, making its soil even more valuable.

How Did Iowa Get Its 'Black Earth' Soil?

Two of the biggest reasons why Iowa has such rich soil are prairie grass and receding glaciers.

Prairie grass thrived in Iowa for thousands of years and as the grass died and decomposed, it formed a dark and deep layer of organic matter, perfect for future farmers. This was called humus.

When the glaciers began to recede, they left vast amounts of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. The glaciers also pulverized most of the rock in the soil, grinding it to a fine dust, further enriching the earth. The wind did the rest, evenly spreading these nutrients throughout much of Iowa.

So, does Iowa have some of the best soil on earth? You bet it does. And that's something the rest of the U.S. should be thankful for.

Story Sources: High Point Land Company Website, Iowa State University Website