Corn farmers in the United States are graded each year on

how they respond to market demands, handle the pressure

of weather extremes and improve their overall production
practices. Their end goal is to meet strong domestic demand
for corn, as well as the demands of those around the world
Bob Dickey

who need a reliable supplier of high-quality, low-cost corn.

The 2008 growing season proved to have many challenges, from floods to heat,
yet U.S. farmers made the grade and delivered the second-largest U.S. crop
on record.

Achieving high marks in a turbulent 2008 was certainly remarkable. Yet corn
farmers in the United States know that 2009, like every year, will bring a new set
of circumstances. That is why each year growers study the latest research and
make plans for the following year. They are determined to meet all demands for
high-quality corn from all sectors all around the world.

This World of Corn 2009 Statistics Book serves as a resource for international
corn users or those interested in corn production and trade. It highlights dozens
of facts and figures surrounding corn production in the United States and
around the world. It shows where weve been and where we can go.

Bob Dickey
President, National Corn Growers Association
Corn Grower from Laurel, Nebraska

World Corn Production

Conversion Key

$47.19

U.S. Select Crop Value, 2008

U.S. Corn at a Glance, 2008

Billions of Dollars (U.S.)

Hectares Planted

34.8 Million
Hectares Harvested

31.8 Million
307 Million Metric Tons

Other 3.3%
Peanuts 0.5%
Sunflower 0.8%
Rice 1.0%
Barley 1.2%
Corn (silage) 1.9%
Sorghum (grain) 2.3%
Cotton 2.5%

$16.75

$47.19 Billion (U.S.)

Corn

Soybeans

$1.51
Sorghum

Wheat

$1.23

$0.26
Oats

Barley

Average Price

Thousand Hectares
Corn (grain)
31,849
2,416
Corn (silage)
Soybeans
30,230
Hay
24,325
Wheat
22,552
Cotton
3,130
Sorghum (grain) 2,945
Barley
1,526
Rice
1,205
Sunflower
970
Peanuts
610

Source: USDA, WASDE, January 2009

Hectares

State
Alabama
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana

1000s

105
20
178
271
506
11
65
28
150
122
4,901
2,309
5,387
1,559
490
211
12
186
8
972
3,119
292
1,134
32

Hectares
Average
Total
Harvested
Yield Production
for Grain Metric Tons/
1000s

Hectare

95
6
174
69
437
62
14
126
32
4,820
2,211
5,184
1,470
454
207
162
867
2,916
284
1,073
14

6.4
10.2
9.6
12.1
8.5
7.8
6.5
8.7
10.5
11.1
9.9
10.6
8.3
8.4
8.9
7.5
8.6
10.2
8.7
8.9
8.4

1000 Metric Tons

621
63
1,693
842
3,758
483
93
1,102
345
54,107
22,190
55,598
12,356
3,869
1,865
1,229
7,501
29,994
2,489
9,693
121

Hectares

State
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Total U.S.

Planted
1000s

Dry Edible Beans

Oats
Potatoes
Sugar Beets
Canola
Sugar Cane
Dry Edible Peas
Proso Millet
Sorghum (silage)
Tobacco
Flaxseed

585
565
423
407
401
352
343
186
165
143
138

Rye
Lentils
Safflower
Sweet Potatoes
Mustard Seed
Peppermint
Hops
Other
Total

109
107
79
39
29
24
17
14

125,883

Source: USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2008 Summary, January 2009

Biotech Share of U.S. Corn Hectares Planted, 2008

U.S. Corn Production by State, 2008

Planted

Soybeans
24.0%

Hay 19.3%

Corn Crop Value

$153.54 per Metric Ton (U.S.)

Corn (grain)
25.3%

Wheat 17.9%

Average Yield

9.5 Metric Tons/Hectare

1 metric ton = 39.36 bushels

U.S. All Crop Area Harvested, 2008

$26.63

Production

1 hectare = 2.471 acres

Hectares
Average
Total
Harvested
Yield Production
for Grain Metric Tons/

1000 Metric Tons

1000s

Hectare

3,564
2
6
34
57
441
365
1,033
1,337
150
24
547
1
144
2,329
279
932
28
38
190
67
17
1,539
38

3,463
30
22
259
336
932
1,264
130
13
356
128
1,782
255
822
9
138
36
11
1,166
21

10.1
7.2
11.2
8.9
4.8
7.7
8.4
7.1
12.4
8.2
4.0
8.2
7.3
7.8
9.7
6.7
12.7
8.1
8.5
8.3

35,400
218
251
2,341
1,644
7,244
10,699
935
168
2,973
520
14,865
1,888
6,446
92
933
469
86
10,022
177

35,228

31,849

9.5

307,384

Source: USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2008 Summary, January 2009

Stacked Traits
40%

Thousand Hectares
Non-Biotech
7,073
Bt
6,012
Herbicide Tolerant
8,135
Stacked Traits
14,147

Non-Biotech
20%

Total

Herbicide
Tolerant
23%

35,367

Bt 17%
Source: USDA, NASS, Acreage Report, June 2008

Percentage of Biotech Area Planted, 2006-2008

State

06 07 08

Herbicide
Tolerant
06 07 08

IL
IN
IA
KS
MI
MN
MO
NE
ND
OH
SD
TX
WI
Other

24
13
32
23
16
28
38
37
29
8
20
27
22
20

12
15
14
33
18
29
14
24
34
13
32
37
18
25

U.S.

25 21 17

Bt
19
12
22
25
19
26
30
31
29
9
16
22
19
20

13
7
16
25
15
19
27
27
24
12
7
20
14
20

15
17
19
36
22
32
19
23
37
12
34
37
23
33

15
16
15
30
24
29
21
24
34
17
30
31
26
32

21 24 23

Stacked
Traits
06 07 08

All Biotech
Hybrids
06 07 08

19
12
18
12
10
16
7
15
20
5
34
13
10
10

55
40
64
68
44
73
59
76
83
26
86
77
50
55

40
30
37
21
19
28
13
25
22
20
43
20
22
14

52
55
53
35
33
40
22
35
31
37
58
27
35
22

15 28 40

Source: USDA, NASS, Acreage Report, June 2008

74
59
78
82
60
86
62
79
88
41
93
79
64
67

80
78
84
90
72
88
70
86
89
66
95
78
75
74

61 73 80

U.S. Corn Hectares Planted, 1938-2008

31,849

35,041

08

28,608

9.5

9.3

9.2

9.2

? 9.9

8.8

8.6

8.0

8.5

8.3

8.3
5.2

6.3

4.9

08

07

06

05

04

03

02

01

00

99

98

88

78

68

61.9

$153.54

$119.68

*07

**08
$47.19

$22.20
05

Argentina 11.5%

44.5

U.S. 57.7%

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

*08

07

54.0
06

05

54.2

46.2
04

40.3

48.3
03

01

02

48.4

49.3
00

99

33.7

49.2

Million Metric Tons

50.3

*07

$24.38
04

Others 2.5%
Canada 0.7%
China 0.7%
Thailand 0.7%
Serbia 1.3%
Paraguay 1.9%
EU-27 2.6%
South Africa 3.2%
Ukraine 4.5%

98

791,039

*Marketing year October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.

Source: USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, Grain: World Markets and Trade, January 2009

U.S. Corn Exports, 1993-2008

93

2.7

Total

3.3
58

48

**08

$24.48
03

China 20.9%

Thousand Metric Tons

United States
307,386
China
165,500
EU-27
61,197
Brazil
51,500
Mexico
25,000
India
18,000
Argentina
16,500
Canada
10,600
South Africa
10,500
Ukraine
10,000
Others
114,856

World Corn Exports, 2008-09*

Source: USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2008 Summary, January 2009.

*Projection

? $32.09

$20.88
02

U.S. 38.9%

Brazil 6.5%
EU-27 7.7%

1.7

06

$52.09
Ukraine 1.3%
South Africa 1.3%
Canada 1.3%
Argentina 2.1%
India 2.3%
Mexico 3.2%

U.S. Average Corn Yields, 1938-2008

Metric Tons per Hectare

06

$18.50

$18.88

$17.10
99

Others 14.5%

Source: USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2008 Summary, January 2009.

38

$78.74

$81.10
04

05

$91.33

$95.27
03

02

$72.83

$77.56
01

00

$71.65
99

? $100.00

$76.37
$18.92
98

$12.66
88

$16.28

$4.83
68

78

$3.76
58

08

World Corn Production, 2008-09*

?
07

06

30,422
05

04

29,821

28,732
03

27,851

28,079
02

01

29,338
00

99

28,547

23,591

29,399
98

88

29,132
78

25,737

31,120

22,672
68

58

01

07

98

88

78

U.S. Corn Hectares Harvested, 1938-2008

Thousand Hectares

48

00

06

307

267

282
05

331

? 300

02

04

241

228

01

256

252
00

03

240
99

248
185
58

113

85

48

68

? 84

125

* Estimates for marketing year ending Aug. 31, 2008

** Projected for marketing year ending Aug. 31, 2009
Source: USDA, WASDE, January 2009

Source: USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2008 Summary, January 2009.

33,529

98

Billions of Dollars (U.S.)

Million Metric Tons

38

88

$42.52

U.S. Corn Crop Value, 1958-2008

U.S. Corn Production, 1938-2008

58

78

58

68

34,823
08

88

$44.09

? 37,878
07

32,777
04

06

31,834
03

33,120

31,952
02

31,722

32,218

30,659
01

99

00

32,467

31,341

98

33,078

27,425

26,376

78

68

34,636

29,707
58

48

38,262
38

05

* Estimated
** Projected for marketing year ending August 31, 2009
Source: USDA, WAOB, World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate, January 2009

Source: USDA, NASS, Crop Production 2008 Summary, January 2009.

38

? $88.58

Dollars per Metric Ton (U.S.)

Thousand Hectares

$165.35

U.S. Corn Prices, 1958-2008

Brazil 12.8%

*Marketing year October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.

Source: USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, Grain: World Markets and Trade, January 2009

Thousand Metric Tons

United States 45,000
Brazil
10,000
Argentina
9,000
Ukraine
3,500
South Africa
2,500
EU-27
2,000
Paraguay
1,500
Serbia
1,000
Thailand
500
China
500
Canada
500
Others
1,925
Total

77,925

World Corn Consumption

Conversion Key

2005-06
15,950
6,336
5,587
4,652
4,045
2,704
1,882
829
1,035
1,235
9,946
54,201

2006-07
15,109
8,768
4,043
4,329
3,377
3,247
2,050
1,471
1,202
854
9,537
53,987

2007-08
14,589
9,818
8,597
3,843
3,124
2,945
3,158
1,305
1,091
1,006
12,397
61,873

Ethanol 30.1%
& Coproducts

Export
14.6%

Sweetener Usage, 1988-2008

6.0

6.1

07

*08

6.7

6.4

07

*08

6.1
06
6.9

05

06

5.8

04

7.0

5.6

03

05

5.8

04

5.6
02

7.1

5.5
01

6.9

5.5
00

03

5.6

5.6
98

99

5.7
93

124.5

4.6

*Marketing Year Ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

Starch Usage, 1988-2008

High-Fructose Corn Syrup Usage, 1988-2008

Million Metric Tons

6.2

6.5

00

01

02

12.4
07

6.3

13.0
06

6.4

13.4
05

99

13.2
04

6.1

13.5
03

98

13.5
02

6.2

13.7
01

93

13.5
00

5.5

13.7
99

11.7

13.5
11.2
98

Million Metric Tons

*08

93

88

9.2
88

45.5
135
44
91
12
6
6
5
3
1
304

*Marketing year ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

*Marketing Year Ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

*08

41.3
07

33.1
06

05

Total Use

Million Metric Tons

*08

05

93

Million Metric Tons

Feed/Residual
Export
Food, Seed, Industrial
Ethanol & Coproducts
HFCS
Starch
Sweeteners
Cereal/Other
Alcohol (Bev)
Seed

*Marketing year ending August 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

88

?
07

110.8
88.6
06

68.2

75.7

64.4
03

52.0
01

04

49.7
00

59.4

48.6
99

02

46.9
98

40.3

31.6

50.0

53.7

Feed/Residual
44.4%

Food, Seed & Industrial (FSI) Usage, 1988-2008

88

24.3

27.6
02

01

00

HFCS 3.8%
Other 7.0%

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

Million Metric Tons

03

48.2

99

40.6

45.4

43.6

98

88

78

U.S. Corn Usage by Segment, 2008*

Leading U.S. Corn Export Markets (Since 2005 )

Japan
Mexico
South Korea
Taiwan
Egypt
Colombia
Canada
Syria
Dominican Rep
Algeria
Other
Total

49.0

43.4
28.4
68

20.7
58

48

38

Others

China

U.S.

14.8

38.7

160,532

*Marketing year ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, Feed Outlook, January 2009

*Marketing year October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.

Source: USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, Grain: World Markets and Trade, January 2009

Thousand Metric Tons

04

259,092

158,000

Million Metric Tons

60,500
EU-27

17,200
India

47,500

16,500
Japan

Brazil

11,500
Canada

32,500

10,300
Egypt

Mexico

9,600
South Africa

Total = 783,224

1 metric ton = 39.36 bushels

U.S. Corn Ending Stocks, 1938-2008

World Corn Consumption, 2008-2009*

Thousand Metric Tons

1 hectare = 2.471 acres

*Marketing Year Ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

U.S. Ethanol Fuel Production Facilities, 2008

World Corn Imports, 2008-09*

Millions of Liters

Algeria 2.4%
EU-27 2.6%
Saudi Arabia 2.6%
Iran 3.2%
Malaysia 3.2%

State
Iowa
Nebraska
South Dakota
Minnesota
Indiana
Illinois
Wisconsin
Ohio
Kansas
North Dakota
California
Missouri
Michigan
Texas
Tennessee
New York
Oregon
Colorado
Georgia
Virginia
Mississippi
Idaho
Arizona
Kentucky
New Mexico
Wyoming
Louisiana
Total

Thousand Metric Tons

Colombia 3.6%
Taiwan 5.1%

Other 31.5%

Egypt 5.1%

South Korea 9.2%

Japan 21.2%

Mexico
10.3%

Japan
Mexico
South Korea
Egypt
Taiwan
Colombia
Malaysia
Iran
Saudi Arabia
EU-27
Algeria
Others

16,500
8,000
7,200
4,000
4,000
2,800
2,500
2,500
2,000
2,000
1,900
24,525

Total

77,925

*Marketing year October 1, 2008 to September 30, 2009.

Source: USDA/Foreign Agriculture Service, Grain: World Markets and Trade, January 2009

U.S. Fuel Ethanol Production, 1998-2008

76.9

Million Metric Tons

53.9

40.7

33.6

29.7

25.3

17.9

15.9

14.4

13.4

11.6

7.3

18.4

14.8

12.9

10.6

8.1

6.7

6.2

5.6

5.3

91.4

34.1

Corn Used for Fuel Ethanol Production, 1988-2008

24.6

Billion Liters

# of Plants

Installed Capacity

35
24
16
19
12
11
9
6
11
5
8
6
4
3
2
2
2
4
1
2
1
2
1
2
1
1
1
191

12,942.9
5,738.1
3,706.6
3,519.0
3,339.0
2,516.6
1,951.9
1,792.7
1,461.0
1,137.0
1,013.8
947.5
811.1
720.1
670.8
621.6
542.0
534.4
379.0
246.4
227.4
208.5
208.5
134.2
113.7
5.7
5.3
45,495.2

07

06

05

04

03

02

01

00

*Marketing Year Ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, Feed Outlook, January 2009

U.S. Meat Exports by Animal Group, 1995-2008

175

Feed & Residual

150

Poultry

125

2,000

100

1,500

Beef

75

1,000

Food, Seed & Industrial

Exports

50

80

Million Metric Tons

Beef

07

*08

06

04

03

02

01

00

99

98

Million Metric Tons*

70

Non-Corn Belt

Poultry

30

Pork

60
Dairy

20

Corn Belt

50

10

Source: ProExporter Network (PRX)

* ProExporter Network estimates the equivalent of 189, 253, 329, 342, 569, 890 and
901 million bushels of corn fed to livestock was displaced by DDG, in the 02-03,
03-04, 04-05, 05-06, 06-07, 07-08, and 08-09 crop years, respectively.
** Marketing Year Ending August 2009.
Source: ProExporter Network (PRX)

07

06

05

04

03

02

01

00

99

98

97

96

95

*08

07

06

05

40
**08

*Marketing year September 1, 2008 to August 31, 2009

04

03

02

01

00

99

98

97

96

Other

95

97

U.S. Corn Fed by Region, 1995-2008

U.S. Corn Fed by Animal Group, 1995-2008

40

96

07

06

05

04

03

*08

*Marketing Year Ending Aug. 31, 2009

Source: USDA, ERS, World Agriculture Supply and Demand Estimate, January 2009

*Estimates
Source: PRX; USDA, FAS Livestock and Poultry: World Markets and Trade, October 2008.

50

05

Carry-out

25

02

01

00

99

98

97

96

95

Pork

95

500
0

U.S. Corn Usage by Segment, 1995-2008

Million Metric Tons

Thousand Metric Tons

3,000
2,500

*08

*Estimate for Calendar Year 2008

Source: Renewable Fuels Association, NCGA

99

98

93

88

*08

07

06

05

04

03

02

01

00

99

98

Source: American Coalition for Ethanol, December 2008

When it comes to membership, NCGA is all over the map.

The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) is the
largest national nonprofit organization representing
the interest of U.S. corn farmers. Through the
state checkoff investments of nearly 300,000 corn
producers and the commitment of dedicated grower
leaders, NCGA and its state-affiliated organizations
are redefining and expanding the role of corn in the
worlds future through research, market development,
production and education.
You can join more than 35,000 NCGA grower
members in 47 states, making a difference in
public policy. With your help, we can continue
the remarkable achievements of Americas corn
industry and ensure that U.S. corn growers continue
to excel at every level.
Visit www.ncga.com for more details and updates on
the corn industry.
National Headquarters 632 Cepi Drive Chesterfield, MO 63005 636.733.9004
Washington, DC Office 122 C St. NW, #510 Washington, DC 20001 202.628.7001