Final Project

Lucas Trilling

The production of corn in the United States is unsustainable and extremely detrimental to the environment. The enormous quantity of corn grown in the United States is largely due to the versatility and low cost of the commodity. Because of the huge demand, farmers are pressured to produce dangerously large amounts of corn. This massive production has many negative consequences including fertilizer runoff, low genetic diversity, and corn dependent ecosystems. Addressing this problem is very difficult, but I believe it is possible to slow the unsustainable production of corn by reducing individual consumption.

Corn alone counts for twenty percent of all of the land devoted to agriculture in the United States (Ackerman, et. al.). The most significant cause for this massive amount of corn production is the demand created by the ethanol industry (Runge). As uncertainty in the future oil market continues and the price of gas continues to go up, there is an increasing desire to produced alternative forms of energy. Ethanol is often given a lot of attention in this field because it is relatively cheap to produce, the technology exists to produce it, and it is about as efficient and versatile as oil. Because of this demand for ethanol, a full quarter of the corn grown in the United States is allocated to the production this fuel.

The livestock and food industries also create demand for corn. Livestock require about five billion bushels of corn annually, only slightly less than is require for the current amount of ethanol production. Most livestock owners use corn as feed because it is extremely cheap and much more efficient than corn. Given the current livestock population, it would be impossible for wild grasses to provide enough food for them—this is where corn comes into play. Cattle require many tons of corn every year. With the per capita meat consumption increasing across the world, the demand for corn can only be expected to go up as well.

The sugar that can be derived from the starch in corn is easy to produce and much cheaper that sugar cane. For this reason, many food companies have chosen to use the cheaper corn sugar, often in the form of high fructose corn syrup over the more expensive sugarcane, resulting in a large increase in the demand of corn. However, corn is not only used in sweeteners in food; corn is in products that people consume in many ways they do not expect. Toothpaste, monosodium glutinate, wine, baking powder, and many more products contain corn in various forms.

The enormous amount of fertilizer runoff that is created from farming corn is very detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. As a result of the enormous demand for this commodity, farmers have been pressed to produce massive amounts corn year after year. This leads to the abandonment of crop rotation on many farms and corn is grown in the same place year after year. As a result of this, nutrients are depleted in the soil that the corn is grown in because the same nutrients are required year after year. Normally, soybeans, or other crops, would be planted in place of corn to replenish nutrients in the soil and essentially give the soil a chance to recover from the nutrients it lost as a result of the growing of corn. To combat this nutrient depletion, farmers add large amounts of synthetic fertilizers to their fields to ensure that corn continues to grow continuously (Runge). Inevitably, these fertilizers wash away when rainstorms come and enter the hydrosphere. The nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in these fertilizers promote algae growth, sometimes to such and extent that massive algal blooms occur and lakes become eutrophic (Muir). When given ideal conditions (excess nitrogen and phosphours compounds), algae can multiply exponentially and cause a thick layer of algae to form on the top of a lake or pond. This layer can block the sun’s rays from reaching the bottom of the lake, disabling photosynthesis in the plants that grow on the bottom. Since the plants no longer preform photosynthesis, there is not a steady flow of oxygen to the water and smaller organisms that are sensitive to changes in oxygen quantities can die off. Once these primary consumers die, the entire food chain falls apart, and the biomass of the lake becomes only a small fraction of what it was before the algal bloom. The simple process of adding nitrogen and phosphorous to lakes can cause entire ecosystems to be severely altered.

Corn has altered the way many ecosystems function. During a typical corn harvest in the United States, a few percent of the corn grown goes unharvested. While this may sound like an insignificant amount, it is a very substantial quantity considering the sheer volume of corn grown in the United States. Many species have become reliant on the waste corn as a food source (Krapu). American Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, White-tailed deer, and many other species have become extremely dependent on this food source; some local populations would not be able to exist without this corn. Increasing wildlife populations as a result of corn farming may seem like a beneficial side effect, but it can be dangerous when entire populations require corn to survive. The genetic diversity of corn in the United States is very limited; only a few of the most productive varieties are in use. Because of this lack of diversity, it is possible that a single bacteria strain could wipe out an enormous percentage of the corn growing in the United States. If this occurs, then all of the animals that relied on waste corn for survival would die of, which then causes further negative effects throughout the food chain.

The unsustainable production of corn in the United States must be slowed down. The most logical way to work towards this goal on an individual level is to reduce consumption, which would reduce demand. For part of my project, I made a goal of living for a week without consuming any corn. This was a very difficult task, especially because I live in a dorm. I could not eat any high fructose corn syrup, products made from animals, food starch and a myriad of other ingredients (Connors). This made it very difficult for me to eat at my dining hall. Bagels, cereal, bread, almost all main and side dishes, soups, yogurt, and desserts were all off the menu for me. This left me with fruits, vegetables, plain rice, and not much else. Accomplishing this goal required a lot of research and a lot of discipline and led me to conclude that reducing the amount of corn grow in the United States by means of reducing individual consumption is no easy task. However, since I was able to not consume any corn for a week, I believe that with proper education, it is possible to significantly reduce the demand for corn.

In the end, I do not think the ultimate goal should be to elimate the demand for corn. This goal is unrealistic and unnecessary. Accomplishing this goal would require a massive effort and everyone to make large sacrifices, and the results would likely not be worth the effort. Growing corn can be done sustainably, so long as it is not grown in excess. Therefore, the goal should be to reduce demand, not eliminate it. This would require much less individual sacrifice and is much more feasible. For example, a meal at McDonalds containing a double quarter pounder with cheese, a fruit and yogurt parfait and a McFlurry contains almost forty pounds of virtual corn whereas a meal containing chicken McNuggets, fries, and a baked apple pie only contains half of a pound of virtual corn. That is a ninety-eight percent difference in the amount of corn eaten without sacrificing flavor or quantity. Greatly reducing the demand can be done with just a little education.

To make it easier for people who want to reduce their corn consumption, I made some calculations that could help with determining the amount of virtual corn you consume.

Milk: 120 pounds of corn per gallon

Beef: 54 pounds of corn per pound.

Lamb: 50 pounds of corn per pound.

Pork: 17 pounds of corn per pound

Turkey: 13 pounds of corn per pound

Chicken: 4 pounds of corn per pound

Eggs: 3 pounds of corn per egg

Sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup: 6.4 grams of corn per gram.

Other common ingredients that contain corn include: dextrin, maltodextrin, dextrose, mono and di-glycerides, monosodium glutenate, sorbitol, and food starch.

Akerman, Frank. “Free Trade, Corn, and the Environment: Environmental Impacts of US – Mexico Corn Trade Under NAFTA.” Ase.tufts.edu. June 2003. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://ase.tufts.edu&gt;.

Connors, Jenny. “Corn Allergen List – Corn Allergens.” Corn Allergens. 1999. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php&gt;.

Krapu, Gary L., David A. Brandt, and Robert R. Cox Jr. “Less Waste Corn, More Land in Soybeans, and the Switch to Genetically Modified Crops: Trends with Important Implications for Wildlife Management.” Wildlife Safety Bulletin. JSTOR, 2004. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. <http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/stable/3784550?&Search=yes&searchText=wildlife&searchText=impacts&searchText=corn&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dimpacts%2Bof%2Bcorn%2Bon%2Bwildlife%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=1920&returnArticleService=showFullText&gt;.

Muir, Patricia. “EUTROPHICATION.” People.oregonstate.edu. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/eutrophi.htm&gt;.

Runge, Ford C. “King Corn: The History, Trade and Environmental Consequences of Corn (Maize) In the United States.” Worldwildlife.org. Sept. 2002. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.

Introduction

The production of corn in the United States is unsustainable and extremely detrimental to the environment. The enormous quantity of corn grown in the United States is largely due to the versatility and low cost of the commodity. Because of the huge demand, farmers are pressured to produce dangerously large amounts of corn. This massive production has many negative consequences including fertilizer runoff, low genetic diversity, and corn dependent ecosystems. Addressing this problem is very difficult, but I believe it is possible to slow the unsustainable production of corn by reducing individual consumption.

Corn alone counts for twenty percent of all of the land devoted to agriculture in the United States (Ackerman, et. al.). The most significant cause for this massive amount of corn production is the demand created by the ethanol industry (Runge). As uncertainty in the future oil market continues and the price of gas continues to go up, there is an increasing desire to produced alternative forms of energy. Ethanol is often given a lot of attention in this field because it is relatively cheap to produce, the technology exists to produce it, and it is about as efficient and versatile as oil. Because of this demand for ethanol, a full quarter of the corn grown in the United States is allocated to the production this fuel.

The livestock and food industries also create demand for corn. Livestock require about five billion bushels of corn annually, only slightly less than is require for the current amount of ethanol production. Most livestock owners use corn as feed because it is extremely cheap and much more efficient than corn. Given the current livestock population, it would be impossible for wild grasses to provide enough food for them—this is where corn comes into play. Cattle require many tons of corn every year. With the per capita meat consumption increasing across the world, the demand for corn can only be expected to go up as well.

The sugar that can be derived from the starch in corn is easy to produce and much cheaper that sugar cane. For this reason, many food companies have chosen to use the cheaper corn sugar, often in the form of high fructose corn syrup over the more expensive sugarcane, resulting in a large increase in the demand of corn. However, corn is not only used in sweeteners in food; corn is in products that people consume in many ways they do not expect. Toothpaste, monosodium glutinate, wine, baking powder, and many more products contain corn in various forms.

The enormous amount of fertilizer runoff that is created from farming corn is very detrimental to aquatic ecosystems. As a result of the enormous demand for this commodity, farmers have been pressed to produce massive amounts corn year after year. This leads to the abandonment of crop rotation on many farms and corn is grown in the same place year after year. As a result of this, nutrients are depleted in the soil that the corn is grown in because the same nutrients are required year after year. Normally, soybeans, or other crops, would be planted in place of corn to replenish nutrients in the soil and essentially give the soil a chance to recover from the nutrients it lost as a result of the growing of corn. To combat this nutrient depletion, farmers add large amounts of synthetic fertilizers to their fields to ensure that corn continues to grow continuously (Runge). Inevitably, these fertilizers wash away when rainstorms come and enter the hydrosphere. The nitrogen and phosphorous compounds in these fertilizers promote algae growth, sometimes to such and extent that massive algal blooms occur and lakes become eutrophic (Muir). When given ideal conditions (excess nitrogen and phosphours compounds), algae can multiply exponentially and cause a thick layer of algae to form on the top of a lake or pond. This layer can block the sun’s rays from reaching the bottom of the lake, disabling photosynthesis in the plants that grow on the bottom. Since the plants no longer preform photosynthesis, there is not a steady flow of oxygen to the water and smaller organisms that are sensitive to changes in oxygen quantities can die off. Once these primary consumers die, the entire food chain falls apart, and the biomass of the lake becomes only a small fraction of what it was before the algal bloom. The simple process of adding nitrogen and phosphorous to lakes can cause entire ecosystems to be severely altered.

Corn has altered the way many ecosystems function. During a typical corn harvest in the United States, a few percent of the corn grown goes unharvested. While this may sound like an insignificant amount, it is a very substantial quantity considering the sheer volume of corn grown in the United States. Many species have become reliant on the waste corn as a food source (Krapu). American Waterfowl, Sandhill Cranes, White-tailed deer, and many other species have become extremely dependent on this food source; some local populations would not be able to exist without this corn. Increasing wildlife populations as a result of corn farming may seem like a beneficial side effect, but it can be dangerous when entire populations require corn to survive. The genetic diversity of corn in the United States is very limited; only a few of the most productive varieties are in use. Because of this lack of diversity, it is possible that a single bacteria strain could wipe out an enormous percentage of the corn growing in the United States. If this occurs, then all of the animals that relied on waste corn for survival would die of, which then causes further negative effects throughout the food chain.

The unsustainable production of corn in the United States must be slowed down. The most logical way to work towards this goal on an individual level is to reduce consumption, which would reduce demand. For part of my project, I made a goal of living for a week without consuming any corn. This was a very difficult task, especially because I live in a dorm. I could not eat any high fructose corn syrup, products made from animals, food starch and a myriad of other ingredients (Connors). This made it very difficult for me to eat at my dining hall. Bagels, cereal, bread, almost all main and side dishes, soups, yogurt, and desserts were all off the menu for me. This left me with fruits, vegetables, plain rice, and not much else. Accomplishing this goal required a lot of research and a lot of discipline and led me to conclude that reducing the amount of corn grow in the United States by means of reducing individual consumption is no easy task. However, since I was able to not consume any corn for a week, I believe that with proper education, it is possible to significantly reduce the demand for corn.

 

Akerman, Frank. “Free Trade, Corn, and the Environment: Environmental Impacts of US – Mexico Corn Trade Under NAFTA.” Ase.tufts.edu. June 2003. Web. 10 Nov. 2011. <http://ase.tufts.edu&gt;.

 

 

Connors, Jenny. “Corn Allergen List – Corn Allergens.” Corn Allergens. 1999. Web. 14 Nov. 2011. <http://www.cornallergens.com/list/corn-allergen-list.php&gt;.

 

Krapu, Gary L., David A. Brandt, and Robert R. Cox Jr. “Less Waste Corn, More Land in Soybeans, and the Switch to Genetically Modified Crops: Trends with Important Implications for Wildlife Management.” Wildlife Safety Bulletin. JSTOR, 2004. Web. 9 Nov. 2011. <http://www.jstor.org.ezproxy.library.wisc.edu/stable/3784550?&Search=yes&searchText=wildlife&searchText=impacts&searchText=corn&list=hide&searchUri=%2Faction%2FdoBasicSearch%3FQuery%3Dimpacts%2Bof%2Bcorn%2Bon%2Bwildlife%26acc%3Don%26wc%3Don&prevSearch=&item=2&ttl=1920&returnArticleService=showFullText&gt;.

 

Muir, Patricia. “EUTROPHICATION.” People.oregonstate.edu. Web. 12 Nov. 2011. <http://people.oregonstate.edu/~muirp/eutrophi.htm&gt;.

 

 

Runge, Ford C. “King Corn: The History, Trade and Environmental Consequences of Corn (Maize) In the United States.” Worldwildlife.org. Sept. 2002. Web. 11 Nov. 2011.

Project Proposal

Corn is a crop that is detrimental to the ecological well being of the planet. The enormous demand for corn has caused many large scale farms to grow exclusevely corn year after year. This monoculturous practice causes nutrient defficiencies in the soil. To combat this, farmers put heafty amounts of synthetic fertilizers in the soil. This inevitably creates toxic runoff that is very hazardous a variety of ecosystems. As a result of the effort to maximize production, only a small number of species are present in these gargantuan farms. this lack of genetic diversity leaves corn extremely suseptible to diseases which could multiply and mutate untill they could cpread to natural ecosystems

For my project, I plan on logging all of the food i eat for two weeks. The first week is a control to see how much corn I eat in a week. For the second week, I will try to eat no corn to see what decisions are needed for that to be possible. The point of this is to see if we, as a society, can reduce the demand for corn, which would ultimately reduce production. I will also create an interactive tool that anyone can use to see how much corn they consume in their daily life, which can be used if anyone strives to eat food that does not contain corn.