corn

Corn, a major source of food for both humans and animals, is grown in more countries than any other crop. Corn is the United States ' largest crop, in terms of volume and value, and Ohio ranks sixth in the nation for grain production of corn. In 2004, the state’s farmers harvested 3.11 million acres for grain, producing a state record 158 bushels per acre. In the latest Census of Agriculture, nearly 24,000 Ohio farms reported growing the crop.

Champaign , Darke, Madison , Mercer and Van Wert are Ohio ’s leading corn producing counties. The state’s corn is usually planted in late April and May , and harvested from mid-October to mid-November. Grain from the equivalent of one out of every 10 rows of corn is exported out of the United States .

Although used primarily to feed livestock, corn is a versatile grain with a wealth of uses. It is processed into a multitude of food and industrial products, including starches, sweeteners, corn oil, beverage and industrial alcohol , and fuel ethanol — a renewable, clean-burning fuel proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Thousands of foods and other everyday items — from toothpaste and cosmetics to adhesives and shoe polish — contain corn components.

Corn products are rapidly replacing petroleum in many industrial applications. Polylactide (PLA), a biodegradable polymer made from corn, is being used successfully in the manufacturing of a wide variety of everyday items such as clothing, packaging, carpeting, recreational equipment and food utensils. Because these products are biodegradable and made from a renewable resource, they offer tremendous environmental benefits.

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