Washington, DC, USA
September 29, 2010

Corn is the most widely produced feed grain in the United States, accounting for more than 90 percent of total value and production of feed grains. Most of the crop is used as the main energy ingredient in livestock feed. Corn is also processed into a multitude of food and industrial products including starch, sweeteners, corn oil, beverage and industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol. The United States is a major player in the world corn trade market, with approximately 20 percent of the corn crop exported to other countries. ERS analyzes events in the domestic and global corn markets that influence supply, demand, trade, and prices.
Each year, USDA updates its 10-year projections of supply and utilization for major field crops grown in the United States, including feed grains (corn, sorghum, barley, and oats). One key use of the projections is as a "baseline" from which to analyze the impacts of potential policy changes affecting U.S. agriculture. A new discussion summarizes the analysis underlying the feed grain projections for 2010-19.

Overview

• Corn is the most widely produced feed grain in the United States, accounting for more than 90 percent of total value and production of feed grains.
• Around 80 million acres of land are planted to corn, with the majority of the crop grown in the Heartland region.
• Most of the crop is used as the main energy ingredient in livestock feed.
• Corn is also processed into a multitude of food and industrial products including starch, sweeteners, corn oil, beverage and industrial alcohol, and fuel ethanol.
• The United States is a major player in the world corn trade market, with approximately 20 percent of the corn crop exported to other countries.

ERS analyzes events in the domestic and global corn markets that influence supply, demand, trade, and prices.

Full briefing: http://www.ers.usda.gov/Briefing/Corn/

Website: http://www.ers.usda.gov/

Published: October 1, 2010