Corn: More American Than Apple Pie

Every family has its holiday traditions and obviously for Americans, sweet corn is a Fourth of July staple.

Instacart released its report on July 4th staples that customers have been purchasing to prepare for the holiday and sweet corn made a big splash at the top with the biggest surge in purchases. Sweet corn* saw a staggering 380 percent increase in purchases compared to the overall yearly average, said the report.

Also making the list from Illinois farms are baby back ribs with a 170 percent increase, bratwurst with a 152 percent increase, frozen beef burgers with a 140 percent increase, and beef patties with a 126 percent increase.

Family farmers are bringing more to the table than just the food for Independence Day; corn starch from the field corn in our fields is the ingredient that makes our fireworks burn evenly and at the right time, as well as making the fireworks burn brighter. Our IL Corn quick math shows that 350 bushels of corn, made into corn starch, are in the fireworks displays that will be a feature of so many Fourth of July celebrations across Illinois.

It’s likely that the plastic cups and straws in the picnic basket are made from corn too. Many companies are making the switch from petroleum-based plastics to corn-based plastics to lower their environmental footprint.

Corn-based fuel can empower a climate-friendly impact too! Ethanol has 40-45 percent fewer greenhouse gas emissions than petroleum fuels and 98 percent of the fuel sold in America today contains at least 10 percent ethanol. You’ve already helped save the planet as you drove to the fireworks display this season!

It’s true. Every family has its holiday traditions, just like the corn growing in Illinois fields is an American tradition. From its cultivation by the native Americans to the food, fuel, and fireworks we’ll enjoy this week, corn is all-American.

*Sweet corn and field corn are two different varieties of corn grown on Illinois family farms. Sweet corn (veggie corn) makes up less than 1 percent of the corn grown in Illinois, while field corn (grain corn) makes up the remaining 99 percent.

< Older Post

Newer Post >

The sun is setting behind the capitol building in washington d.c.

Budget Reconciliation Bill Passes Congress

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Illinois corn farmers will be impacted by many provisions in the Budget Reconciliation Bill that passed in both chambers this week.

Importance of Trade Series: Ethanol

By Lyndi Allen • July 3, 2025

Trade plays a critical role in driving demand for U.S. corn—not only as grain or feed, but also as fuel.

Corn: More American Than Apple Pie

By Lindsay Croke • June 30, 2025

When we think of Independence Day traditions, sweet corn on the cob is as iconic as fireworks and often even more central to the celebration. According to Instacart, purchases of sweet corn surge by 380% over the annual average heading into July 4th, outranking other grilling staples like baby back ribs and burgers. But corn's role in your Fourth of July celebration goes far beyond your plate. In Illinois alone, 8,300 acres of sweet corn are harvested annually, averaging 155 cwt per acre. That’s more than 128 million pounds of locally grown sweetness fueling summer cookouts across the state. And while sweet corn makes a big impression on the grill, most of Illinois’ corn crop isn’t sweet corn - it’s field corn. Less than 1% of the state’s crop is sweet corn, while the rest is used in products that are often invisible to consumers but vital to everyday life: fuel, packaging, fireworks, and even spirits.