PepsiCo's Jeff Halverson talks about sustainability initiatives.
March 18, 2020
If you are looking for things to do with you kids, try out these online lessons produced by Agriculture in the Classroom. Everyday will feature a new age appropriate lesson that will teach your kids something new about agriculture and how their food is grown. The first two lessons feature milk and the water cycle. Share with anyone who you think may benefit from these lessons to help keep their kids occupied and learning!

By Lindsay Croke
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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.