Corn Facts
Wisconsin corn at a glance

About 70% of the corn grown in Wisconsin stays on family farms and is used to feed dairy cattle, beef cattle, pigs, chicken and other livestock.

37% of all corn grown here is used for ethanol production – including Unleaded 88 or E15 – with the byproduct of production (dried distillers grains) being returned to farms as protein-rich livestock feed.

The remaining +/- 3% goes to exports, food and other everyday essential products from aspirin to cosmetics to textiles.
Sweet corn vs. field corn fun facts


- Less than 1% of all corn grown across the U.S. is sweet corn!
- Most Wisconsin farmers grow field corn or yellow dented corn that is dried and harvested each fall.
- During the busy harvest season farm families sometimes work around the clock combining corn. Today’s farm machinery includes GPS, WI-FI, and other modern conveniences.
Family farmers and homegrown corn

Wisconsin is home to about 15,000 corn farmers, each supporting local towns and communities as well as providing food, fuel, and everyday products for their neighbors.

94% of all farms in Wisconsin remain family-owned and operated. Some farms are larger today to support multiple generations of families working together.

Dane County grew the most corn in 2021 with 1+M tons. Fond du Lac, Manitowoc, Dodge and Brown Counties rounded out the top 5 corn-growing counties in the state.