Corn plays a significant role in daily life and the economy, with more than 4,000 everyday products made from it, according to comments by industry leaders and experts on May 5. Joe Roberts, president of the Iowa Corn Promotion Board and a third-generation farmer from Belmond, Iowa, said, “The corn kernel is truly in everything. It’s there and abundant, and can be used in a lot of different products.”
Roberts explained that corn is present in items ranging from clothing fibers to fireworks components. “Corn can be turned into a fiber — the spandex that you use for your clothes,” he said. “Shirts or pants can be the corn of the future. Fireworks use starch components. There’s absorbent material in diapers from corn, even plastic cups. It goes back to Iowa corn. It’s in everything.”
Chad Hart of Iowa State University Extension and Outreach highlighted livestock feed as one of the largest markets for corn use at scale: “Traditionally, it was used to feed cattle, pigs, chickens and turkeys — basically using that corn to create meat.” Hart also said ethanol has become another major market: “Ethanol has become the second-largest use of corn… We still get some residual livestock feed out of that corn as well through the distillers grains.” Monte Shaw from the Iowa Renewable Fuels Association noted how ethanol demand absorbed surplus production: “We finally found something that could suck up all that overproduction.”
Bryan Whaley of the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association discussed how locally grown corn supports beef production: “We have a large amount of feedstuffs in the state of Iowa… A lot of cattle producers feed their own cattle, which reduces transport costs,” he said.
Brandon Walter from Pioneer addressed specialty markets for different types of hybrid seed: “We are developing hybrids that fit end-use markets that bring farmers value for whatever end use they choose — whether that’s grain corn, silage corn, ethanol…” He added about consumer awareness: “Most consumers don’t realize corn is utilized in so many everyday products in their lives.” Roberts pointed out U.S.-grown grain’s global advantages due to its starch content.
Technology continues driving advancement within agriculture; Walter referenced nearly a century since hybrid seed development began at Pioneer: “1926 was not only the start of Pioneer but also the development of hybrid seed corn being utilized… Hybrid seed has changed in waves over…the last hundred years.” Whaley added about innovation’s effect on animal health management.
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