Steve Courtney interviewed Jody E. Pollok-Newson, Executive Director, Corn marketing program of Michigan and Michigan Corn Growers Association. During the MSU VS Pudue game, a corn heater was used to heat the WJR Tailgate Broadcast Stage.
Corn has been and continues to be an important crop to Michigan’s agricultural industry. Our state’s farmers plant approximately two million acres of corn every year, which produces about 300 million bushels, making it one of the largest cash crops in acreage and cash receipts.
Corn is planted annually in the spring, grows through Michigan’s warm moist summer months and is harvested after drying down in the fall. Corn farmers are continually looking for new ideas and markets for their crop. From more traditional uses such as livestock feed and corn meal, to newer uses like ethanol and corn-based plastics, our state’s producers are using corn to provide feed, fuel and so much more.
Corn is quite unique. The plant has both male and female flowers. The spiky tassel on top is the male flower while the cobs down on the stalk are the female flowers. The silk on the cob is the receptor. A strand of silk goes to every kernel. Pollen from the tassel falls onto the silk which then transfers it to the kernel. If a strand of silk does not happen to catch pollen, its kernel will not form.
Iowa remains the number one corn producing state followed closely by Illinois. Michigan ranks 11th in production.
Of all the corn grown in the United States, 5.3 billion bushels are used as livestock feed. Another 4.1 billion bushels are used for ethanol production, while 2.0 billion bushels are exported. 1.3 billion bushels are used for food products and 1.1 billion bushels are left over as surplus each year.
The main components of a kernel of corn are starch, oil, fiber and water. The starch portion can be turned into corn starch, syrup or sugar. Starches are found in puddings, cake mixes, salad dressing and gum. Syrup is used in soda, canned fruits and ice cream while sugar is in ketchup, cereal and peanut butter. Corn oil is low in saturated fats and can be used to make margarine and mayonnaise. The fiber from corn can be turned into corn meal which is used for snack foods and breads. Corn flakes and grits are also made from the corn fiber.
The parts of a kernel include the Endosperm, the pericarp, the tip cap and the germ. The endosperm is about 82 percent of the kernel’s dry weight. It is the source of energy and protein for the germinating seed. There are two types of endosperm, soft and hard. In the hard endosperm, starch is packed tightly together. In the soft endosperm, the starch is loose. When corn dries in the field before the harvest, the moisture causes the soft endosperm to collapse and form a dent in the top of the kernel. The pericarp is the outer covering of the kernel that protects it from deterioration. It resists water and water vapor and is undesirable to insects and microorganisms. The tip cap is the only area of the kernel not covered by the pericarp. It is the attachment point of the kernel to the cob. The germ is the only living part of the corn kernel. It contains the essential genetic information, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals for the kernel to grow into a corn plant.
Corn Facts
One bushel of corn weighs 56 pounds consists of about 72,800 kernels.
One bushel of corn can be made into 2.8 gallons of ethanol and 17 pounds of dried distillers grains or 2.6 pounds of gluten meal and 1.5 pounds of corn oil or 31.5 pounds of starch or 33 pounds of sweetener.
Nearly all printing paper uses cornstarch to improve printability. It is also used in the production of paper packaging such as corrugated cardboard.
Corn is grown on every continent except Antarctica.
