Corn is the most widely planted grain in the United States, with most of the domestic production grown in the Midwest. In California, field corn is grown for grain and silage. Total area planted for both purposes was 520,000 acres in 2014, down from 600,000 and 620,000 acres in 2013 and 2012, respectively. Of that 2014 area, 95,000 acres was harvested for grain, averaging about 5.46 tons per acre. Harvested silage acreage was 420,000 acres in 2014, which yielded 26 tons per acre on average. California yields exceed US averages, which are 4.45 and 20.1 tons per acre for grain and silage, respectively. Leading counties in corn grain production were Sacramento, Glenn, Solano, Sutter, and Stanislaus in 2014. Tulare, Merced, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, and Kings were the top five producing silage counties. (Statistics courtesy of the USDA-NASS)

Grain corn may be processed for livestock feed, human consumption, and industrial products. Food products made from corn include starch, sweeteners, and oil. Industrial products include industrial alcohol and fuel ethanol. Silage produced in California primarily feeds dairy cattle. Corn growers who are not associated with dairies often choose to produce grain or silage based on market conditions. For this reason, California grain corn acreage fluctuates. When market prices for grain are favorable, harvested acreage of grain corn tends to increase. When market prices for grain are not favorable, growers may substitute another crop for corn or harvest their corn as silage. Silage corn acreage consistently exceeds grain corn acreage in California because many corn growers are associated with dairies.

(by Michelle Leinfelder-Miles, Farm Advisor, San Joaquin County, 2015)