Did you know?

Corn production

-Corn production in terms of bushels/acre has increased dramatically over the years –from 26 bushels/acre produced in Nebraska in the 1900s to 178 bushels per acre (a new record) produced in 2009.

-In the last decade, corn yields in Nebraska increased 41%. (NE Corn Board, 2010)

 Corn Facts

• An ear of corn averages 800 kernels in 16 rows.
• A pound of corn consists of about 1,300 kernels.
• Today, each U.S. farmer produces food and fiber for 155 people in the United States and abroad.
• A corn plant can be anywhere from 5 to 12 feet tall,  on average 8 ft tall by midsummer and a healthy corn’s roots can reach 6 ½ feet into the ground!
• Different corn plants have different numbers of ears, but some might have 2-3 ears!
• Silks on corn are essential for pollen from the tassels to fertilize the plant.  If its too hot, silks can dry out and not fertilize all sites on a corn cob, thus resulting in a gap on the ear of corn where no kernels developed because they weren’t fertilized.

Soybean Production

• Nebraska soybean yields in 2009 averaged more than 54 bushels per acre; in the 1920’s average yield was 14 bushels/acre.
• Irrigated soybean yields are 62 bushels/acre while rainfed soybeans average 36 bushels/acre. (UNL CropWatch, 2010)

 Soybean Facts

• Soybeans are the world's foremost provider of protein and oil.
• Soybeans are a legume plant related to clover, peas and alfalfa.
• A 60-pound bushel of soybeans yields about 48 pounds of protein-rich meal and 11 pounds of oil. 
• More soybeans are grown in the United States than any other country in the world.
• Farmers plant soybeans in late spring.
• During the summer, soybeans flower and produce 60-80 pods, each holding three pea-sized beans.
• In the early fall, farmers harvest their crop for soybeans.

 Wheat Production

• Winter wheat is one of the major field crops grown in Nebraska, along with corn and soybean.
• In 2007, more than 256,000 acres were grown under irrigation in the state. 
• Nebraska is typically one of the top 10 winter wheat producing states in the U.S. 
• Production is mainly in the western part of Nebraska, but recently acreage in the south central and eastern parts of the state has increased.

 Wheat Facts

• Six classes bring order to about 30 thousand varieties of wheat. They are: Hard Red Winter, Hard Red Spring, Soft Red Winter, Durum, Hard White and Soft White.
• More foods are made with wheat than any other cereal grain.
• One bushel of wheat contains approximately one million individual kernels.
• One bushel of wheat weighs approximately 60 pounds.
• One bushel of wheat yields approximately 42 pounds of white flour.
• One bushel of wheat yields approximately 60 pounds of whole-wheat flour.
• A bushel of wheat yields 42 commercial loaves of white bread (one-and-a-half pound loaves).

Sorghum Facts

• Sorghum is a coarse, upright growing grass that is used for both grain and forage production. Grain sorghum is shorter and has been bred for higher grain yields.
• Grain sorghum is also called "milo" and is a major feed grain for cattle.
• Sorghum has a very hard kernel, which makes it resistant to disease and damage but harder to digest for animals.
• Sorghum is ground, cracked, steam flaked, and/or roasted. It can be cooked like rice, made into porridge, baked into flatbreads and popped like popcorn.