Corn: Zea Mays, family poaceae, commonly known as Maize.

Corn, a major source of food for both humans and animals, is grown in more countries than any other crop. The versatile plant can thrive in climates as diverse as the arid desert plains of the southwestern United States and the high Andean mountain plains of Ecuador and Peru. The temperate plains of the United States provides some of the best growing conditions for corn in the world, making the United States the world's top corn producer.

The majority of corn grown in the United States is "dent" corn, so-called because the kernel typically forms a dent on the cap or crown at maturity. Dent corn is used for everything from livestock feed to corn syrup and sweeteners to ethanol and industrial products. Other major classifications of corn include: sweet corn, which is grown almost exclusively for human consumption; and value-enhanced corn, grown to provide specific traits or characteristics such as higher oil, starch or nutrition content.

World Corn Production and Trade

Corn is the largest U.S. crop, in terms of both volume and value. The states of Iowa, Illinois, Nebraska and Minnesota account for more than 50 percent of U.S. corn production. Other major corn-producing states include Indiana, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Michigan, Missouri, Kansas, Ohio and Kentucky.

The United States grew 39 percent of the world's corn in during fiscal year 2010, producing 331 million metric tons (12.1 billion bushels). Other major corn producing countries in 2009/2010 included:

• China -158 million metric tons (6.2 billion bushels)
• European Union - 57.1 million metric tons (2.25 billion bushels)
• Brazil- 56.1 million metric tons (2.2 billion bushels)
• Argentina - 22.5 million metric tons (886 million bushels)
• Mexico - 20.3 million metric tons (799 million bushels)
• India - 16.7 million metric tons (657 million bushels)

Mexico, Korea, Taiwan, Egypt, Colombia and China are also major corn importers and important markets for the United States.

World Corn Exports:

Corn Usage

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