A new variety of corn may provide farmers with a promising solution to the growing threat of extreme and unpredictable weather, protecting billions of dollars of the crucial cash crop.
The Associated Press reported in September that Bayer Crop Science is partnering with farmers in the Midwest to trial "short corn" across around 30,000 acres. Whereas traditional corn stalks grow as tall as 12 feet, this variety reaches about half of that height. The diminutive stature combined with a sturdier base means that short corn is more resilient to winds up to 50 miles per hour.
"As you drive across the Midwest, maybe in the next seven, eight, 10 years, you're going to see a lot of this out there," eastern Iowa farmer Cameron Sorgenfrey suggested to the AP. "I think this is going to change agriculture in the Midwest."
As warming temperatures have caused extreme weather events to become more intense and frequent, farmers are among those on the front lines. According to Bayer's 2024 Farmer Voice Survey, more than 60% reported "significant revenue loss" due to adverse weather over the past several years. The cost is then ultimately passed on to consumers at the grocery store.
To proactively address this, scientists are seeking to develop more resilient crops, including ones that can withstand droughts and climate-driven disease spread.
In the Midwest, demand for wind-resistant crops skyrocketed after a powerful windstorm known as a "derecho" swept through the area in August 2020, killing multiple people and causing $11 billion in damages, including heartbreaking losses for corn farmers, as the AP explains.
"It looked like someone had come through with a machete and cut all of our corn down," said Dior Kelley, an Iowa State University assistant professor who is researching short corn — a variety she believes may have an exciting agricultural future.
"It is huge. It's a big, fundamental shift," Kelley explained to the AP, adding that short corn comes with different challenges farmers must consider. For one, because it grows closer to the ground, it may be more susceptible to mold or diseases.
On the other hand, the low-growing corn may make it easier for farmers to manage fungus or seed cover crops, which help control weeds, improve soil health, support pollinators, and more, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
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Bayer spokesperson Brian Leake said his company has been working with short corn for more than two decades and intends to increase production by 2027, per the AP. Stine Seed and Corteva have also been developing short-corn varieties for at least a decade.
"We see the opportunity of this being the new normal across both the U.S. and other parts of the world," Leake told the news agency.
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