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More or Less: Behind the Stats
Are 672 billion pounds of corn eaten in the US every year?
Oct 5, 2024
Krista Swanson, Chief Economist for the Corn Growers Association, and Margaret Smith, Professor of Plant Breeding at Cornell University, dive into America's staggering corn consumption. They dissect the claim of 672 billion pounds of corn eaten annually, revealing that much of this figure includes corn used for biofuel and animal feed. The duo humorously navigates the complexities of corn's journey from field to food, highlighting the overwhelming presence of corn derivatives like high-fructose corn syrup in our diets, all while re-evaluating the stats that shape our understanding of this essential crop.
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Quick takeaways
- The staggering figure of 672 billion pounds of corn consumed annually in the U.S. includes significant amounts used for animal feed and fuel, complicating human consumption statistics.
- Only about 11% of total corn use is directly attributable to human dietary choices, highlighting the disconnect between reported consumption and actual food products consumed.
Deep dives
Corn Consumption in the U.S.
Corn is the dominant crop in the United States, with total annual consumption exceeding 672 billion pounds, averaging more than 2,000 pounds per person each year. However, this figure encompasses all uses of corn, including animal feed and fuel production, rather than just direct human consumption. A significant portion of the corn produced is processed into ethanol, used as a renewable fuel blended into gasoline, which accounts for 35% of total corn use. After accounting for various categories of consumption, it's revealed that less than 13% of the total corn production is consumed directly by humans.
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