Corn topic for ‘Ag in the Classroom’
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Douglas County students learned about corn this month. There are different types of corn: field corn, sweet corn, flint corn, and popcorn. Illinois ranks second in the country in field corn production and third in popcorn production.
Each year around 11 million acres of Illinois farmland are devoted to growing corn. Most corn you see growing in Illinois is field corn, harvested after it fully matures and has time to dry out. After corn is harvested it is soaked and milled so the germ, oil, starch, and hull can be separated. These items are made into things like cornstarch, cooking oil, and sweeteners, and are used in over 4000 products you use every day. Check the labels on your groceries to find corn in baked goods, snack foods, peanut butter, ketchup, syrup, and sodas.
Corn is also used for livestock feed, processed into ethanol, a high-performance fuel, and made into biodegradable plastics. It can be found in everything from cereal, wallpaper, cosmetics, carpets, and pillows to stuffing.
Students used cornstarch-based packing peanuts for a building challenge.
Douglas County Ag in the Classroom is supported by Douglas County Farm Bureau, Douglas County Ag Center, and Illinois Ag in the Classroom.