The Cob Chronicles

The U.S. grows more corn than any other crop, but you might be surprised to learn where all those kernels go.

Corn: Whether classified as a vegetable or a grain, it’s an American staple. Enjoyed simply on the cob with just a touch of butter and salt, mixed with beans in a spicy succotash, baked as velvety cornbread, processed into crunchy cereal or consumed in an unfathomable number of other applications and recipes, Americans eat more corn than any other country. What’s surprising, however, is that of the 14.2 billion bushels (one bushel contains around 112 ears of corn) produced here each year, according to the National Corn Growers Association, the vast majority of it is not consumed—at least, not by humans. Intrigued how this humble member of the grass family (!?) from south of the border became a key component of the U.S. economy? Well, then, read on...

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