2/27/2006: Wheat mountains

[chrisinhouston]

This is interesting because over most of the past century, the USA produced the most wheat for consumption and export. Starting at the turn of the last century St. Paul, MN lead the world in production and export but now we are not the leaders in this area. Instead we lead the world in the production of corn.

Why? Because the demand for corn syrup for our wonderful processed and fast foods and drinks has totally changed the face of the american farmland. Furthermore corn can be grown year after year with less need for rotating crops, just as long as the farmer uses a ton of fertilizer and some pesticides it just keeps growing.

Now Corn is really going to be king as the push to make fuel from ethanol grows.