Beef: Beef production is the largest sector of agriculture in Nebraska, and Nebraska is the only state that is a national leader in every aspect of beef production: cow/calf, backgrounding, corn growing, cattle feeding and processing. Calves born on one of Nebraska’s 17,000 cow/calf ranches typically spend the majority of their lives on grass before being sent to a feedlot for finishing. Cattle typically spend 3-6 months in the feedlot being fed a balanced ration of corn, forages, distillers grains, and vitamin and mineral supplements. Corn feeding allows Nebraska producers to get greater marbling and tenderness in the final beef product.
Pork: Nebraska’s pork industry plays an important role in the state’s agricultural economy. Pig farms vary in size and how pigs are raised. In Nebraska, there are more than 3.8 million pigs. Advances in animal genetics, technology and management practices have changed, leading to leaner and more nutritious pork. Six of the most common cuts of pork have, on average, 16 percent less fat and 27 percent less saturated fat than 20 years ago.
Wheat: Nebraska produces two types of wheat: hard red winter wheat and hard white winter wheat. While providing all of the nutritional value and health benefits of whole grains, hard white winter wheat offers the look, texture and taste of enriched flour. It’s popular in the same products as hard red winter wheat as well as Asian noodles and Middle Eastern flat breads. Hard red winter wheat is very versatile, with excellent milling and baking characteristics for pan breads and yeast-raised flour foods. This type of wheat also is commonly used as an improver for blending.
Dry Edible Beans: Dry edible beans are predominately grown in western Nebraska due to the arid climate in that region. The crop usually is grown under irrigation. When the plants have dried down and are ready for harvest, the plants are cut close to the ground in the early morning while they’re covered with dew. The whole plant is allowed to dry in windrows before being combined. The combining process breaks the pods open and separates the dry edible beans from the plant material. After harvest, the beans are delivered to local processors where they are graded, cleaned and packaged for shipping to canners, grocery stores and overseas markets.
Popcorn: An ample irrigation supply, favorable climate and rich soils, have allowed Nebraska to be the top producer of popcorn in the country for several years. Approximately 34 percent of the U.S. popcorn supply is produced in the state. The production process for popcorn is very similar to that of field corn and to most people, a corn plant and popcorn plant will look very similar. Yields from one acre of popcorn range from 50 to 100 bushels, depending on production techniques and the use of irrigation.
Corn: The “Cornhusker State” prides itself on its corn production. Corn is the most widely grown crop in Nebraska and has a variety of uses, from feeding livestock and poultry, to producing ethanol, distillers grains and even bioplastics. Nebraska has a unique advantage, known as the “Golden Triangle,” where the combination of corn, livestock and ethanol production provides a significant opportunity to add value at every step along the production chain.
Soybeans: Soybeans are Nebraska’s second-largest harvested crop. The most versatile of the major crops, soybeans can be grown in a wide variety of soils and climatic conditions. Consequently, soybeans are the most widely grown oilseed in the world. They often are used in rotation with corn because soybean plants return nitrogen back into the soil. The seed of the soybean plant—or bean—is processed for use in animal feed, human food products and renewable fuel. Soybeans also are being used to make several industrial use products like ink, coatings, solvents, plastics, lubricants and adhesives.
Livestock Genetics: Home to one of the largest cattle herds in the country, Nebraska is also home to some of the highest-quality beef genetics not just in the US, but in the world. Combining generations of hands-on experience raising cattle with cutting-edge data-driven decision-making, Nebraska’s seedstock producers have created world-class genetics that are utilized by cattlemen all over the world. And it’s not just cattle. Nebraska is the birthplace of industry-leading hog genetics as well, with our state’s porcine genetics being utilized by producers in Europe and Latin America.