For decades, U.S. corn yields languished at about 20-30 bushels per acre. But over time, regular investment in scientific research paid consistent dividends to farmers and consumers. These breakthroughs helped U.S. farmers in the fledgling Corn Belt of the 1920s and 30s achieve their first significant surpluses, and corresponding increases in incomes. Little did they know that their grandchildren would be growing six to eight times more corn than they did per acre.
The world record for corn yields is more than 500 bushels per acre, a mark set in 2014. We may only have scratched the surface of what’s possible. As we look to the future, we shouldn’t abandon scientific research and technological advances that have the potential to help us feed the world while also protecting the planet.
Related on the SLP
Read full, original post: In 4 Charts: The Past, Present, and Future of Food Security
