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Science changes corn and the way it is grown At the doorstep of the new millennium, Minnesota corn farmers find themselves in a situation full of opportunities. Scientific advances made in recent years will dramatically improve the way these farmers grow and market their corn. For example, who would imagine that corn could be grown to contain special cancer-fighting nutrients? Who would believe that corn growers in Minnesota would have an average yield of 200 busels per acre? Who would think that one day farmers could ship high-quality livestock feed with specific attributes out of the Port of Duluth-Superior? All of these changes and more may quickly become realities for Minnesota corn producers. Fortunately, Minnesota’s corn growers have a head start in responding to new market opportunities. In the past 15 years, they have become national leaders in new generation cooperative efforts. Their cooperative spirit is in place, as are the local corn-processing facilities needed to quickly respond to new markets.
Since the mid-1980s, about 8,000 farm families throughout the state have joined their friends and neighbors in building cooperative corn-processing plants. This means that many Minnesota corn growers sell a percentage of their corn to a nearby farmer-owned corn processing plant. By selling their corn to a plant, the farmers have the opportunity to share in the profit of value-added products. It is estimated that this cooperative effort increases the price of each bushel of corn by up to 40 cents for investors. The plants also aid in the economic growth of their communities by creating new jobs. Right now, perhaps the best-known product of these plants is ethanol. Ethanol is an alcohol fuel derived from corn. When ethanol is blended with gasoline, it reduces the amount of pollution from tailpipe emissions. In fact, in order to reduce air pollution, the State of Minnesota now requires that almost all gasoline sold in the state contain an oxygenate, such as ethanol. To date, there are 13 corn-processing plants in Minnesota that produce ethanol. In 1997, Minnesota produced 178.7 million gallons of ethanol. Ethanol production now adds over $400 million annually to the Minnesota economy. The ethanol industry has also created about 5,000 jobs in Minnesota. The beauty of these corn-processing plants is that they can produce many different products. In addition to making ethanol, corn-processing plants also produce high-quality livestock feed and other products. Some plants are equipped to produce corn sweetener, starch and corn oil. Just as any savvy business person would, farmers constantly search for ways to use technological advances to meet changing customer needs. Here are some scenarios that corn farmers believe will fill a market demand in the United States, as well as abroad. Corn as a renewable resource Many of the everyday products we use are made from petroleum-based chemicals. Consider, for example, products such as plastics, oils, paints, dyes, pharmaceuticals, fast-food containers, and so on. Scientists believe that in the not-too- distant future the same products will be made from corn-based materials. Using corn-based materials instead of petroleum-based products would make economic sense for corn producers. However, it would also make environmental sense, because corn-based products eventually degrade in the soil, returning nutrients to the earth. Furthermore, the source of the materials, corn, is renewable. Farmers can always grow more corn. But the supplies of petroleum will eventually begin to decline. Specialty corn Advances in corn research will enable farmers to become more and more capable of responding to customer needs. Farmers may be able to grow corn with special characteristics that would benefit the poultry and livestock that eat the corn. Specialty corn may even help to reduce the odor of livestock manure. Corn as a cancer fighter In the future, corn products could contain higher levels of nutrients such as vitamins C and E, and beta carotene. These "nutriceuticals" may help reduce the risk of diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Corn to feed a growing world Research initiatives such as genome mapping and the development of hybrids with special traits will enable farmers to increase food production and help feed a world population that is expected to double in the next 30 years. This article was contributed by Jenny Eldredge, communication and research manager of the Minnesota Corn Growers Association. |
