The great state of Indiana is known for many things including the Indy 500, basketball and corn. The rural skyline is dotted with farms. There are more than 2 million farms in the United States, about 98% of which are operated by families, individuals, family partnerships, or family corporations, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. About 87% of all agricultural products in America are produced on family ranches or farms. However, farming only represents 1% of America’s GDP. Is corn Indiana’s most valuable crop?
The U.S. imports $129 billion worth of agricultural products a year. Stacker compiled a list of the most valuable crops grown in Indiana using data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture state agriculture overview. Crops are ranked by total annual value of production. As of Feb. 2, 2022 these are the most valuable crops that are grown in the Hoosier state.
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7. Mint
Ranking 4th in the country, Indiana produces $4.6 million worth of mint.
6. Pumpkins
While Indiana does not rank in the top 5 within the country for pumpkin sales, we do rather well with the gourde. Indiana produces $16.4 million worth of pumpkins annually.
5. Melons
In 2020. Indiana produced $46.9 million worth of melons. California, Florida, Georgia, Arizona and Texas all out-produced melons ahead of Indiana.
4. Wheat
You might expect that Indiana would produce many ambers waves of grain. We do in fact create $92.8 million worth of wheat in the state. This is greatly eclipsed by North Dakota, Kansas, Idaho, Washington and Montana who all farm more. North Dakota is the country’s biggest supplier of wheat which makes $1.6 billion annually.
3. Hay & Haylage
$230.6 million was the amount of hay that Indiana produced in 2020. Indiana was shadowed by Texas which harvests $1.5 billion worth of hay every year.
2. Soybeans
An immature form of soybeans is edamame. Whether we’re looking at immature or full grown, Indiana is a big producer of soybeans. Ranking 4th in the country, Indiana yields $3.8 billion worth of soybeans.
1. Corn
Corn is Indiana’s top crop. The state outturns $4.4 billion worth of corn every year. However, we don’t lead the country in production of the grain. Illinois, Iowa and Minnesota all make more. Can you believe that? Illinois produces more corn than Indiana.
Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Knee High By The 4th Of July
Let’s take a closer look at the nations “corn belt” and acquire a kernel of knowledge…
- An ear of corn averages 800 kernels in 16 rows.
- A pound of corn consists of approximately 1,300 kernels.
- In the U.S., corn production measures more than 2 times that of any other crop.
- Corn is a major component in many food items like cereals, peanut butter, snack foods and soft drinks.
- One bushel of corn will sweeten more than 400 cans of Coca-Cola.
- Americans consume 16.5 billion quarts of popped popcorn annually, more than anyone else in the world.
- It takes 25 gallons of water to grow one ear of corn.
- The U.S. produces about 40 percent of the world’s corn.
- One bushel of corn is 56 pounds.
- In a typical year, almost half of all cropland in Indiana is planted in corn.
