With more than 290 million people living in the United States being fed by fewer than 2 million farmers and ranchers, no other country produces and has access to a safer or more abundant food supply than the United States.

We all have our own idea of who a farmer is and what he does. But do we really understand what impact the farmer and agriculture have on our everyday lives? It is much more than just the food we eat. Agriculture creates jobs and supports communities. It provides renewable resources that fuel our cars and improve our quality of life.

Our reliance on agriculture connects us. Perhaps no other crop plays as important a role in fostering this connection as does corn. Well over half the items in your grocery cart can be tied to corn, from the grain fed to the dairy cowthat produces the milk and cheese to breads, snack foods, oils and other consumables and household products.

The World of Corn 2004 explores the common ground that ties us together – the connections between the producer and the consumer, the farmer and the land and the United States and other corn-producing countries around the world.