2026 farm bill developments

Field corn plays a big role in many of the foods you eat every day. Once harvested, corn kernels are dried, ground, and milled into many of the food items you can find in your pantry. 

Corn is ground for grits, cornbread mixes, tortillas, and taco shells. Each year, 40 to 45 million bushels of corn are processed right here in Kentucky.

Not only does corn bring flavor, but it’s also naturally gluten-free, packed with carbohydrates for energy, and is a good source of fiber, B vitamins, and antioxidants.

Corn is at the heart of Kentucky bourbon. In fact, by law, corn must make up at least 51% of the grain used to produce Kentucky bourbon. But most distillers go beyond that, using 70% or more Kentucky-grown corn in their mash bills. 

After harvest, corn is fermented, distilled, and aged to create the spirit we know as bourbon. It’s a major economic driver for our state, contributing more than $9 billion annually to Kentucky’s economy and supporting over 23,000 jobs.

Ethanol is a renewable, domestic fuel for your vehicle, made from corn grown right here in Kentucky. 

Benefits of Ethanol:

– Better for your engine. Ethanol’s higher octane level helps boost horsepower and efficiency.

– Burns cleaner. Ethanol reduces toxins and lowers emissions, making it more environmentally friendly.

– Better value. Ethanol provides unrivaled value, saving up to 10-30 cents per gallon each trip to the pump.

At the pump, here’s what to look for:

– E10 – 10% ethanol, 90% gasoline. The standard fuel most of us already use.

– Unleaded88 (E15) – 15% ethanol, 85% gasoline. Usually with a blue handle. Safe for all cars made in 2001 or later.

– E85 – Up to 85% ethanol, only for flex fuel vehicles. Look for the yellow nozzle.

Visit unl88.com to find Unleaded88 near you!

Corn helps bring high-quality meat, milk, and eggs to your table. It’s an essential ingredient in livestock feed, packed with both energy and protein to provide chickens, cattle, and hogs the nutrients they need to grow strong and stay healthy. 

– Livestock love the taste of corn. Nearly 70 million bushels of corn are fed to Kentucky livestock each year.

– 1 in every 4 rows of corn planted in Kentucky goes directly to feed poultry in the state.

– Corn is a diverse feed ingredient. It can be fed as whole kernels, cracked, ground, silage, or even as Distillers Dried Grains, which is a byproduct of ethanol production.