U.S. Corn Use by Market Year

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Seed 30 31 31 30 29 31 29 30 31
Alcohol for beverages 135 136.5 140 142 142 143 146 149 150
Cereals and food 197 203 199.42 200 201 203 204 207 209
Starch 257.926 254.009 249.389 251 246 238 235 236 240
Glucose and dextrose 272.379 294.359 292 307 298 337 371 371 370
High-fructose corn syrup 521.055 512 491.487 477.698 478 472 467 459 450
Exports 1830.925 1539 730.082 1921 1867 1899 2294 2438 2300
Alcohol for fuel 5018.74 5000.03 4641.127 5124 5200 5224 5432 5605 5450
Feed and residual use 4770 4512 4309 5004 5287 5118 5470 5304 5300
Source: USDA Economic Research Service - Feed Grains: Yearbook (Tables #4 and #31). Accessed on 5/17/2019
Notes: The market year starts in September of the given year and ends in August of the next year.
The amount of corn consumed by Americans (directly and processed) remains relatively constant every year at approximately 1,400 million bushels per year. The amount of corn devoted to exports, animal feed, and alcohol for fuel is more variable. These three seem to absorb the reduction during drought years, such as 2012, and seem to be interchangeable as alcohol for fuel has displaced an increasing amount of animal feed and exports in recent years.

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