The Facts about CornIn the United States, corn production measures more than double that of any other grain crop in the states. Researchers have discovered many uses for corn such as vitamins and amino acids. Corn is grown mostly in Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota. Over half of the corn produced in this country comes from those four states. Other states that contribute to the mass production of corn are Indiana, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio and Kentucky. This other area is better known as the “Corn Belt.” The U.S. corn export rate is rising at an increasingly fast rate. Lately, the U.S. has been exporting huge amounts of corn to the Pacific Rim region. This is located in Asia. This has the greatest potential for profit, because a majority of the world’s population resides here. The exported corn is used to feed the livestock. The livestock is then produced into food for humans. Corn is used in paper. To improve its printability, paper producers include cornstarch. Cornstarch is also used in shipping boxes and other corrugated boxes. Each ton of paper (including copy, notebook, cardboard, and construction) uses about twenty eight (28) pounds of cornstarch. Other uses include: Packing peanuts (made of 100% corn), corn-derived citric acid (cleaning agent), corn-based ink (replaces petroleum ink), and Hydrosorb (a super absorbent cornstarch). There are well over 3,500 uses for corn products. More uses are being found everyday. Use of corn products to replace harzards products helps the environment. When substituted in paint products, corn proves to be more environmentally friendly. Difference between sweet and field corn Most corn that you buy from the local grocer like corn-on-the-cob and canned or frozen corn is known as sweet corn. Even the corn that you plant and grow in your garden is a variation of sweet corn. Unlike the corn found and bought in the urban areas, the corn that is grown in a majority of the United States is called field corn. Field corn has a hard outer portion, but the insides are soft and floury. Field corn has many uses such as: starches, oils, and livestock feed, and fuel. Also field corn has been recent used to make non-toxic versions of paints, crayons and paper. Corn syrup sweeteners that are found in foods, soft drinks, desserts and custards are also derived from American field corn. The primary use of corn is to feed livestock. Corn helps to fatten up the cattle and in turn the cattle becomes meat on the dinner table. Corn has proved to be a valuable crop and resource for America today. A bushel of corn can produce almost six pounds of retailed beef, 14 pounds of pork, and 20 pounds of chicken. So corn is indeed a value for Americans.
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