Around 1800 settlers began moving into the Midwest, the rich farmland created an important role in building a rural economy. As the years change the agricultural needs changed, the yields and technology increased the farm size. Today we see changes in these farms all over the Midwest the movement of the family farm to the corporate farm has created a new economy that has more influence on what Americans eat and the technology needed to farm this land. The use of corn has changed from a food to a necessity and as technology changes the uses of corn grow and grow.
Corn Changes
The majority of the Midwest states use corn as a major agricultural income, the land of the Midwest is very warm in the summer, this warm humid climate allows states such as Nebraska, Iowa and Illinois to help produce much of the worlds corn. As settlers moved to this region they found the great growing conditions of the soils and climate. With the introduction of corn from the Native Americans the settlers used this to build an important vegetable which slowly grew the Midwest economy that later gave a section of the Midwest the title “Corn Belt”.
“The term Corn Belt refers not only to a region where corn is grown but also to the primary use made of the crop, fattening meat animals for market. Automobile fuel and soft-drink sweeteners are among the many products made from corn today, but historically corn has been consumed by hogs and cattle on the farms where it is grown.” (Hudson 197) Nebraska, Iowa, Minnesota, Illinois, and Indiana are the heavy corn producers of the Corn Belt.
As corn technologies build the needs for more are always present since 1997 80 percent of the United States corn is genetically modified. Today, many of the genetically modified corns in the Midwest are modified to promote growth and to tolerate weeds and pests. The new uses of corn ranges from food to fuel. I
In the Midwest a majority of the corn is used for ethanol and feed for cattle. Throughout the country 12.1 billion bushels are harvested and from the World Agricultural Supply and Demand the corn breakdown for the United States looks like this:
5.25 billion bushels. - Livestock feed
3.65 billion bushels. - Ethanol production
1.85 billion bushels. - Exports
943 million bushels. - Production of Starch, Corn Oil, Sweeteners (HFCS,etc.)
327 million bushels. - Human consumption - grits, cornflower, corn meal, beverage and alcohol
Farm Changes
Around 1800 settlers moved into the Midwest, the rich farmland created an important role in building a rural economy. As the years change the agricultural needs change, the yields and technology increased the farm size. Today we see changes in these farms all over the Midwest the movement of the family farm to the corporate farm has created a new economy that has more influence on what Americans eat and the technology needed to farm this land.
Outside of the original 13 colonies the government promoted growth through the Midwest by implementing the Homestead Act. This act allowed applicants to receive 160 acres for agriculture. This act started the strong presence of the Midwest’s family farms. These farms provided for the community but as soon as farming advancements came the need for “more” became the use for the family farm.
The technology advancements have changed the family farm that feeds the community to the family farmer who feeds the world. With new technologies the uses for soybeans and corn have determined the market. From the book an Omnivores Dilemma an Iowa farmer mentions, "We've got a long-term investment in growing corn and soybeans; the elevator is the only buyer in town, and the elevator only pays me for corn and soybeans. The market is telling me to grow corn and soybeans, period." (Michael Pollan) this investment makes it unable for this farmer to grow for his local community. His soybeans and corn have the technological advances to create all kinds of foods that we eat daily.
Between 1860 to 1982 technology changed the Corn Belt from a mixed crop and livestock farming area to specializing in a single product. As the landscape changed the family farm remained the normal form. Its acreage doubled, when farmers bought out their neighbors. The farmer’s need for large production was to help offset expenses. For those that could not make it as a family farmer they sold and moved to cities or town for other employment opportunities. Unfortunately this is very difficult and in a article from Business week a Midwest farmer explains his need for more acreage, “Pitstick is hoping just to meet his obligations: Like the majority of farmers in his state, he rents most of the land he farms. And he has to increase his operation by 5% to 10% each year just to keep his profit at the same level. That, too, is becoming difficult as urban sprawl claims more and more land. Much of the area around the 70 acres he does own, far outside of Chicago in Kane County, has been converted to more profitable use developments of $250,000 homes. “ (Pitstick)
Farmers are realizing their land is worth more as real estate rather than for farming. But as the need for farms becomes more important for worldwide needs. The corporate farming operations hire these farmers to farm their land or rent. The expense of farming is very large there are seed, fuel, equipment, pesticides, fertilizer, insurance and many more expenses. The appeal to work for a corporate farm enables the farmer not to worry so much about the expense but to farm. The farms can easily reach over 500 acres and with this large farm, it makes large bussiness by supplying the world with corn.
Hudson, John. C. Across This Land, A Regional Geography of the United States and Canada. The John Hopkins University Press. 2002.
Pollan, Michael. Omnivore’s Dilemma A Natural History of Four Meals. Penguin Press. 2006.
Pitstick, Steve. Blow After Blow for Midwest Farmers. Bussinessweek
http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/05_40/b39531
Whitmack, Nathan. Should Corporate Farming Be Limited in the United States? : An Economic Perspective. Major Themes in Economics, Spring 2006.
World Agricultural Supply and Demand. www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/
Chris Andersen
PSU Geog 368U