12 Surprising Products That Come from Agriculture

When you think about farmers cultivating the land and raising crops and animals, you probably don’t think about products like crayons and diapers. But surprisingly, we wouldn’t have many modern amenities and everyday items without the help of farmers and ranchers across the globe. Check out the list below to discover 12 surprising products that rely on agriculture.

1. Crayons

Do you remember perusing the store aisles during back-to-school season as a kid? You likely had a big box of crayons among the many school supplies in your shopping cart. Most of us probably didn’t give a second thought to how the crayons were made, but many varieties today are made with up to 85% soybean oil, as opposed to the petroleum-based paraffin wax of yesteryear. In fact, a single acre of soybeans can produce an amazing 82,368 crayons. That’s a lot of back-to-school boxes.

See more: A Variety of Everyday Products Rely on Agriculture

2. Diapers

Back in the 1980s, diapers were made using cellulose-based polymers. But today, you might be surprised to discover that many of the leading diaper brands use corn byproducts to enhance absorbency. Natural diapers are more likely to use cornstarch to keep your baby leak-free, while conventional diapers are made using an acrylic acid derived from ethylene, which is derived from corn.

3. Toothpaste

Of all the products in your house that contain corn, would you ever have suspected your tube of toothpaste? Next time you break out the brush, take a glance at the ingredients. Many brands contain sorbitol, which is a corn glucose derivative added to toothpaste to enhance flavor and create the texture most people associate with modern toothpaste.

4. Soap

You can make soap using everything from lye and lard to goat’s milk and tallow. But many commercial soaps contain soy. Some studies suggest soy not only helps soften and smooth out the skin but could also help minimize wrinkles and fine lines. No wonder it’s an ingredient in so many soaps!

5. Makeup

Time to whip out the makeup bag, ladies. Grab your blush and eyeshadow and look over the ingredients list. Do either of them contain “zea mays” or “zea mays starch”? Turns out “zea mays” is the binomial name for corn.

6. Envelope Adhesives

It would be pretty challenging to send cards to all your friends and family members without a trusty envelope. When you stock up on these for the holidays, or anytime you want to drop a little happy mail in the post, remember that the adhesives on envelopes are made using nitrocellulose glue, which comes from corn.

7. Aspirin

This one might throw you for a loop, but aspirin is another household good that contains agricultural products. Without getting into all the science of it, you might find it interesting to know that cornstarch and water are added to acetylsalicylic acid, which is the main ingredient in aspirin, to serve as a binding agent, filler and lubricant.

8. Windex

Most households in America have a bottle of Windex tucked into their cleaning supply cabinet. But did you know this popular multipurpose cleaner contains not one, not two, but (at least) five ingredients derived from corn? Believe it or not, cornstarch serves as a soft scrubbing agent that can help keep your windows and mirrors squeaky clean.

9. NASCAR Racing Tires

Here’s another crazy surprise that you can use in your next game of trivia with friends. The rubber compounds by Goodyear Tire & Rubber contain soybean oil. This agricultural addition increases the tires’ tread life while reducing the maker’s need to rely on what would otherwise be petroleum-based products.

10. Modeling Dough

Certain brands of modeling dough contain wheat, soy, corn or a combination of the three. While that doesn’t impact most of the children who spend their afternoons crafting imaginative designs from these fun-filled toys, it is worth noting for anyone who needs to be aware of allergies. Fortunately, there are several alternatives on the market too!

See more: 7 Common School Supplies That Come From the Farm

11. Spark Plugs

Cornstarch in spark plugs? No way. Actually, it’s totally true. Heating up cornstarch causes it to harden, which serves as a wonderful way to protect the ceramic parts within a spark plug. Otherwise, spark plugs would suffer from being placed so closely to the car engine beneath the hood.

12. Straws

There are countless kinds of straws on the market right now, but have you ever heard of sugarcane straws? Free from plastic and completely biodegradable, these 100% plant-based straws are heat and cold resistant and a seriously cool example of how agriculture is influencing the eco-friendly sectors of the market.