With Agriculture being South Dakota’s number one industry, the corn sector does a lot of heavy lifting when it comes to South Dakota’s economy.

The influence covers a wide range according to Teddi Mueller of South Dakota Corn. It is highly likely that every day the average person will use corn in some capacity. “I don’t think people realize how (pervasive) corn is. It can be in ethanol-blended fuel and you have products on the shelves that all have corn derivatives in them. Corn touches your life every day multiple times.”

Mueller provides examples of not so common products which feature corn. “It’s in fireworks, tires, batteries and even diapers. It’s everywhere.”

Of course South Dakota farmers hope the estimated 800 million bushel corn crop makes it safely in the bin. South Dakota Corn Executive Director Lisa Richardson provides multiple factors for the surge in yields. “The reason our corn yields are so huge is (the farmers) have adapted technology primarily biotech. They also increased the organic matter on their fields. We’ve increased it 150 percent.”

Richardson also states that timely rains have made big yields possible. “We have corn that’s producing 200 bushels (per acre) in Hand County on dry land corn, not irrigated. The average there would be about 110 (bushels per acre). I know we’re going to break the record as far as average production.” Richardson estimates that area of South Dakota should average close to 189 bushels per acre.

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