to growing corn more than 90 million acres 36 million ha to cover all of Germany 6 These corn crops were worth almost 50 billion more than any other crop grown in the United States including soybeans wheat sorghum barley and oats 7 Because of the high demand for ethanol a fuel made from corn corn prices have risen Farmers have taken advantage of the increase to devote more land to growing corn And even though the number of grain farms has fallen the size of the farms themselves has gone up In addition greater technology has increased production and crop yields But the corn industry extends far beyond growing and selling It encompasses many different businesses and products It involves scientists who develop new seeds It contains distilleries that make ethanol It includes manufacturers that make cereal tortilla chips graham crackers and a Types of Corn Dent corn or field corn is the most common type of corn grown in the United States Called dent corn because of a characteristic dent in the kernels this corn can be grown easily and processed into most of the products that form the corn industry such as ethanol cattle feed and corn syrup Other types of corn grown in the United States include flour corn a soft-kerneled corn that can easily be ground into flour 10 flint corn a hard-kerneled corn that comes in many colors popcorn a type of flint corn that explosively turns inside out when heated green corn an immature sweet corn baby corn a type of corn that is picked before the ears can be pollinated
myriad of other corn products It comprises retailers such as grocery stores in which three out of four food items contain corn 8 And it involves the consumers who often purchase corn products without knowing they contain corn US Crops by Area Farmed As shown in this circle graph more US land is devoted to harvesting corn than any other crop 2 6 Corn Soybeans Hay Wheat Other Sorghum Cotton Barley 5 7 2 7 1 28 3 15 3 17 7 11 26 7
2 FORMING THE CORN BELT As early as 8000 BCE corn began growing as a type of wild grass called teosinte in Central America or Mexico Evidence shows the teosinte was bred into a plant similar to corn between 6,000 and 8,000 years ago Then approximately 3,000 years ago it changed even more and began to closely resemble the corn of today with long ears and woody cobs THROUGHOUT THE AMERICAS There are signs farmers began planting and harvesting corn in the areas of modern-day Guatemala Peru and Argentina as early as 4000 BCE Trade routes carried corn farther into South America up into North America and east into the Caribbean Islands Native peoples throughout the Americas including the cliff dwellers in the American Southwest the mound builders in the Mississippi River valley and the Incas in Peru grew to rely on corn as a staple in their diets By 500 CE corn had traveled as far as what is now upstate New York where the Iroquois grew it BROUGHT TO EUROPE In 1492 Christopher Columbus learned about corn from the native Taino people who lived in present-day Cuba The Incas used terraced fields to grow crops on slopes 13
