A combine operates on farmland. The screen divides: on the right, the combine remains; on the left, the video title "Grain Production" appears. It transitions to images of packaged food products in various grocery stores made from grains.
Mixed grains are shown, followed by slides detailing types of grains. Next, on the right side, the coarse grains image is shown. On the left side, the video title "Coarse Grains" mentions the grains corn and sorghum. Next, on the right side, the Small Grains image is shown. On the left side, the video title "Small Grains" mentions wheat, oats, barley, rye, and flax.
Grains are everywhere! And a part of your everyday life. There are many types of grain, but generally they’re divided into two groups: coarse grains like corn and sorghum and small grains like wheat, oats, barley, rye and flax. The most widely grown grains in the United States are wheat and corn because of their many uses in both human consumption as well as animal feeds.
Images of wheat plants and wheat flour transition to supermarket items like cookies and cereals made from wheat.
Wheat is in many of the food products we consume daily – bread, breakfast cereals, crackers, and cookies.
Corn and corn-based products like oils, pudding, and cereals in different grocery markets are shown. It transitions to an image of swaying wheat crops, followed by combines working in farmlands.
Corn produces sweeteners, cereals, and oil, and is used in many other products you may not suspect like pudding, pizza and sodas.
Wheat crops sway in fields, transitioning to an image of a grain drill machine. Sprouting wheat transitions to mature wheat crops.
How do these grains find their way to our tables? Let’s take a quick look at the production processes for wheat and corn. Wheat is usually planted in the fall with a planting machine called a drill. The seedlings sprout in about a week and emerge from the soil.
Images depict the wheat crop production process, from seeding and sowing to harvesting.
The plant grows until the cold winter weather causes it to become dormant. Frequently producers place cattle in the wheat fields to graze through the late winter. As the weather warms up in the Spring, the wheat begins growing again and cattle are removed to allow the plants maximum growth period before harvesting. The green seed heads contain the grain. As the plant and seed mature, they turn from green to a yellow-gold and are ready to harvest.
Images illustrate the production process of corn crops, including combines in farmlands, growing corn crops, harvesting corn seeds, and growing corn plants.
Corn on the other hand is planted in February through April – depending on what part of the country you are in. Corn is planted with a precision planter into wide rows to allow the large plants room to grow. The largest growth occurs in the spring and summer months for corn. Corn plants grow from about 5 feet up to about 8 feet in height. Corn plants produce “ears” which grow the corn silk and kernels.
Combine machines harvest wheat and corn crops using platform headers.
When the plants are mature, wheat and corn are both harvested with a machine called a combine. The combine machinery can use different types of headers depending on what crop is being harvested.
The scene transitions to a combine emptying wheat and corn seeds into grain carts and trucks.
In the case of wheat, the combine will use a platform header to cut the plants and draw them into the machine. Corn requires a unit header on the combine. This header cuts the plants, removes the ears from the plant, and draws the ears into the machinery. Once inside the combine, wheat grain is separated, cleaned, and put into the bin. Kernels of corn are separated from the ears, cleaned, and airflow transports the grain into the bin. Once harvested and on the combine, grain can be transferred to a grain cart or straight into the truck. The grain cart speeds up grain harvest by allowing the combine to continue harvesting while the smaller load can be taken to a transport truck near the field.
A grain transportation truck is near a processing plant, transitioning to a goods train transporting grain.
Trucks transport the grain from the field to a storage facility or possibly a nearby processing plant. Wheat is often stored in a bin or grain elevator. Corn is often stored on the farm or in a grain elevator. From the storage facility, grains are then transported by railroad car or truck to a processing facility – or even onto a ship for overseas delivery.
Wheat flour and products made from it, like buns and donuts, are shown, transitioning to wheat-based items like cookies and cereals in a supermarket.
There are many types of processing facilities, but the most common for wheat is a flour mill. The mill cleans the grain and removes foreign particles. From the mill, flour is transported to bakeries and other food processors.
The final product is packaged and sent to wholesalers as processed goods like bread and cookies. Wholesalers market and deliver to supermarkets and restaurants where the consumer makes the final purchase.
A man holds corn seeds, followed by food labels listing corn as an ingredient. Images depict various products utilizing corn.
Corn however usually goes through processes like cooking and flaking to make the final food products. The wide varieties of foods that have corn as an ingredient are almost endless. Take a look at some of the food labels in your pantry to see if you can identify how many contain corn!
Images illustrate the use of corn, including animals eating corn-based feed and an ethanol production facility.
Corn is also used as a primary animal feed ration ingredient. Corn can also produce ethanol – an environmentally friendly fuel and renewable resource that helps cut down on air pollution, conserve energy by reducing fuel transportation costs, and reduce dependence on foreign oil supplies.
A combine empties wheat into a transportation truck, transitioning to a man repairing the truck.
Along the way, we have touched on many industry components – all with a potential ag-related career opportunity. As you can see, grain is everywhere! Take time to consider the many uses of grains in our lives, how the grain makes its way to our tables, and the importance of the career opportunities in the grain industry!
A combine operates on a farm.