Corn is a substantial agricultural commodity in Texas, ranking as one of the state’s most valuable crops. The state’s vast size and diverse climate allow for significant production, contributing billions of dollars to the state economy. Texas leads the nation in the number of farms and ranches, establishing a foundation for large-scale crop production. This places Texas among the top corn-producing states in the United States.
Geographic Distribution and Production Scale
The majority of Texas corn production is concentrated in the northern High Plains region, including the Panhandle. This area is responsible for nearly two-thirds of the state’s total corn output. The arid climate necessitates widespread irrigation, primarily drawn from the vast Ogallala Aquifer. This reliance on groundwater makes corn a major irrigated crop, accounting for over half of the region’s total agricultural water budget. Texas harvests nearly two million acres of corn annually, yielding hundreds of millions of bushels.
While the High Plains is the dominant production center, other regions contribute significantly to the state’s total volume. These include the Blacklands region in Central Texas, the Upper Coast, and South Central Texas. In these areas, corn production is often non-irrigated, relying instead on natural rainfall.
Major Varieties and Economic Uses
The vast majority of corn grown in Texas is field corn, also known as dent corn, rather than sweet corn consumed directly. Field corn is an industrial commodity crop, making up more than ninety percent of the corn planted. It is characterized by a high starch content and a small indentation, or “dent,” on the kernel once it dries.
The primary economic purpose of this dent corn is livestock feed, with approximately ninety-six percent used for this purpose. Corn provides a high-energy food source that supports the state’s massive cattle and poultry industries. Corn is also converted into ethanol for use as a biofuel.
A smaller amount is processed into food ingredients for human consumption, such as corn syrup and corn starch. Sweet corn, the variety sold fresh or frozen, represents only a minimal fraction of the total acreage and is harvested at an earlier, “milk” stage.
The Texas Corn Growing Season and Climate Factors
The corn growing season is highly variable due to the state’s immense north-to-south expanse, leading to a wide range of planting and harvesting dates. In the southernmost regions, planting often begins in late January or February, with harvest occurring between late June and mid-July. In the Northern High Plains, farmers delay planting until mid-April or early May, and harvest extends much later, typically into mid-October.
Water availability dictates the success of the crop across the state. The semi-arid High Plains climate means production is heavily dependent on center pivot irrigation systems. The continuous decline of the Ogallala Aquifer water level is an ongoing challenge to maintaining high yields. In non-irrigated areas, yield is directly tied to natural rainfall, making those crops susceptible to drought conditions.