Agriculture is a major part of the U.S. economy. The crops that are grown in the United States are used not only to feed the populace, but are exported to countries around the world. Following is a list of some of the primary crops grown in the U.S.
The U.S. is the world’s largest corn producer. Much of the corn grown in the U.S. is used to feed livestock. About 400,000 farms produce corn and besides being used for human and animal consumption, corn is a primary component of ethanol.
The 2.8 billion bushels of soybeans grown in the U.S. accounts for half of global production. Soybeans are mainly turned into soybean oil, which is used by many people for cooking. 30 million tons of soybeans are used for animal feed.
Hay is another major U.S. crop. Alfalfa is the main hay crop, and most hay produced in the U.S. is used domestically.
About 70 percent of the wheat grown in the U.S. is destined for human consumption. The rest is used for feeding livestock and seeding. Some two-third of U.S. wheat is produced in the Great Plains region of the country.
Cotton is grown on about 32,000 U.S. farms. However, these farms are responsible for about 20 percent of the world’s cotton output. Cottonseed meal is used for livestock, cottonseed oil is commonly used in cooking. Cotton fiber is a popular clothing material.
Six southern states grow rice, and 60 percent of that rice is used as food. The remainder is put into processed food and beer. The U.S. only contributes 1 percent of the world’s rice production.