The pandemic wreaked havoc on the corn supply chain by Alli Torban

The rippling effects of the pandemic included disruptions to the corn-supply chain, which included worker shortages, unpredictable ethanol demand and machinery scarcity. These layers of disruptions add up, triggering gyrating costs for corn, a foundation of the food supply — both as feedstock and table staple.

We wanted to show the Axios readers how every aspect of the corn supply chain was affected, which is difficult if you don't know how corn is typically grown and sold.

So I created an infographic that uses visual metaphor (chain links being broken) that can be read vertically to understand how corn is made. Then it can be read horizontally to understand the types of disruptions that happened recently, and also how corn is typically used in the United States.

This format is much more friendly and memorable than a typical bar chart.