Food and Fuel America.com: Indiana State Fair 2007: Year of Corn

Monday, August 13, 2007

Indiana State Fair 2007: Year of Corn

The Great Indiana State Fair has kicked off and its theme for 2007 is "Year of Corn". The fair runs until August 19th. The first Indiana State Fair was held in 1852 in what is now Military Park in downtown Indianapolis. Indiana became the sixth state to begin holding a state agricultural fair.

Some fun facts concerning Indiana's top crop:

#1 crop in Indiana and in the world; Indiana #5 in nation for corn production.
The World's Food - Americans consume 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually or 54 quarts per man, woman and child.
Each year, a single U.S. farmer provides food and fiber for 129 people - 97 in the U.S. and 32 overseas.
One tiny seed can produce between 8000 - 1000 new plants.
In the U.S., corn production measures more than two times that of any other crop.
There are over 3,500 uses for corn.
Seventy-five percent of all grocery items contain corn in some processed form.
One bushel of corn sweetens more than 400 cans of soda.
The average American consumes nearly two bushels of corn annually in the form of corn sweeteners.
Corn as a renewable resource can be beneficial in making products such as ethanol fuel, ethanol windshield washer fluid, CMA (calcium magnesium acetate) road de-icer and other degradable products made from corn starch.
Corn is the main ingredient in most dry pet food.
Corn is beneficial to the environment as it absorbs carbon dioxide and gives off oxygen (just like a rainforest).
Corn is grown on every continent except Antarctica.
Exports are critical to the well being of American agriculture. Nearly one third of our nation's corn crop is targeted for exports.
A pound of corn consists of approximately 1,300 kernels.