Everything Connects to Kansas Agriculture
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You’re probably connected to corn, sorghum and soy in more ways than one because of their versatile uses in food, fiber, plastics and more. Sometimes you can’t see it or don’t know it’s there, but corn, sorghum and soy, called the Big Three, are needed crops for making many products we know and love. Here are some common products you might not expect to come from Kansas crops.
Corn Connections
Fuel
Corn is created into a fuel called corn ethanol through grinding, cooking and liquifying, saccharification that turns it to sugar, fermentation and distillation. Using ethanol rather than traditional fossil fuels reduces emissions and overall negative environmental impacts.
Batteries
Corn is used for energy beyond just ethanol. Corn starch is used in batteries as an electric conductor.
Sweetener
All corn sugars are natural, and each type provides different qualities needed for different foods. Corn sweeteners enhance flavors, create more golden color, preserve foods by reducing water activity, preserve textures, reduce freezer burns, maintain moisture in baked goods and provide consistency.
See more: Farm Flavor Guide to Corn
Sorghum
Breads and pastas
Bread is typically made with wheat, but sorghum is becoming more common in breads and pastas to create gluten-free options. Find treats made with sorghum by looking for its many names: milo, dura, guinea corn, jowar, kaffir corn and kaoliang.
Packaging
Sorghum could be the future of plastic. Sorghum is used as a renewable resource to create plastic and reduce the production of greenhouse gases. It is also used in packing materials like packing peanuts and other loose insulation.
Pet food
As a gluten-free and GMO-free option, sorghum is seen in more pet food. The grain is incredibly nutritious and adds a balance to pet food with more protein and less fat than other grains.
See more: What is Sorghum?
Soybeans Connect Agriculture
Candles and Crayons
Soy wax is a renewable resource since it’s made directly from plants rather than paraffin wax that is made from petroleum. Soy crayons are more sustainable because they are made from a renewable resource rather than using fossil fuels. One acre of soybeans can produce 82,000 crayons.
Sneakers
Soybeans can be produced into soy foams to make the pads of sneakers, coolers, refrigerators and furniture. Soy
can be under your feet or under your seat.
Carpet
Soy is used as a renewable resource to create carpet for homes, schools and businesses. Using soy is better for the environment than traditional polymers and is usually more cost-effective.
See more: Soybeans Offer Fields of Promise