2/27/2006: Wheat mountains

[ferret88]

Originally Posted by Elspode

This is a Monday IOTD - and grainy days and Mondays always get me down.

Indeed!

[chrisinhouston]

This is interesting because over most of the past century, the USA produced the most wheat for consumption and export. Starting at the turn of the last century St. Paul, MN lead the world in production and export but now we are not the leaders in this area. Instead we lead the world in the production of corn.

Why? Because the demand for corn syrup for our wonderful processed and fast foods and drinks has totally changed the face of the american farmland. Furthermore corn can be grown year after year with less need for rotating crops, just as long as the farmer uses a ton of fertilizer and some pesticides it just keeps growing.

Now Corn is really going to be king as the push to make fuel from ethanol grows.

[tw]

Originally Posted by chrisinhouston

Instead we lead the world in the production of corn.

Why? Because the demand for corn syrup for our wonderful processed and fast foods and drinks has totally changed the face of the american farmland.

Not exactly. The reason we grow so much corn is also why America (and France) are accused of undermining world trade. Government subsidies for corn are some of the world's largest. Its lower price is also another reason why corn syrup - pure sugar - is replacing nutritious ingredients in American foods. For example, Apple Juice was once from apples. Now corn syrup is a major ingredient - pure sugar.

Ask not why we are eating too much. Ask why there is now so much sugar in American diets.

And ask why corn could be better produced in other nations where people need the jobs - if American government subsidies did not subvert world corn prices.